LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Enhanced Education Foundation – or LEEF – is gearing up for the 15th annual Big Band Dance and Auction to be held Saturday, March 3, at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St., Lakeport.

Save the date for this elegant and fun-filled evening, with music provided by the Clear Lake High School Jazz Band and guest musicians.

Tickets are $30 each or a table for 10 can be reserved and prepaid for $500.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with a buffet dinner served at 6 p.m.

The Clear Lake High School Jazz Band begins performing at 6:30 p.m. with the auction beginning at 7 p.m.

Don’t miss the dancing after the auction with music provided by the professional band Kay & Friends.

Tickets are available at the Terrace Middle School office at 250 Lange St. in Lakeport, Linda’s Hallmark in the Willow Tree Plaza on 11^th Street or purchased through one of the board members.

Each year LEEF transforms Fritch Hall at the Lake County Fairgrounds with a surprise theme which welcomes guests and prepares them for an evening of good food, first-class music and the opportunity to purchase a wide variety of items in our live and silent auctions.

Some of these items have included guided local kayak tours by park docents, an exclusive day of Lake County diamond hunting with picnic lunch, weekends at vacation homes in Lake Tahoe and the coast and much more.

LEEF is a nonprofit foundation founded in 1993 with the sole purpose of promoting a quality educational program for the district by raising monies for enrichment and enhancement projects for the Lakeport Unified School District.

In the last five years, LEEF has funded more than $105,000 in projects for the district such as purchasing numerous computer technology upgrades at each school site and in most departments, helping outfit the new Marge Alakszay Center with lighting and sound, campus improvements and most recently partnering with the Lakeport Rotary and Clear Lake High School Booster Club to build new bleachers for the high school's stadium.

LEEF shares its success with the generous community of Lakeport. The group is only able to provide the support to Lakeport Unified with their continued generous support.

LEEF would like to take this opportunity to genuinely thank those who have contributed each year and helped make these events so successful.

The current board of directors includes Amy Wind, Jill Falconer, Colleen Rentsch, Dana Thoman, Jeannie Markham, Bonnie Tringali and Jodi Mansell. One of these ladies may be contacting you soon as they prepare to host this years’ event.

SACRAMENTO – Across California thousands of people are burned every year in fires and countless lives are lost, including young children.

During the week of Feb. 5-11, Cal Fire is teaming up with fire departments across the country to highlight the fire risks and burn injury prevention during the winter months for National Burn Awareness Week.

This year fire officials are focusing on the increased risk to children for burn injuries and offer safety tips to keep them protected from burn injuries.

Each year approximately 465 children ages 14 and under die due to unintentional fires or from burn related injuries, with children ages 3 and younger at the greatest risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A 2009 report from the American Burn Association indicates that the most common cause of hospitalizations to children under 5 years of ages is scald burns caused from hot liquids.

Hot tap water accounts for nearly one in four of all scald burns among children and is associated with more deaths and hospitalizations than any other hot liquid burns.

“These types of injuries are preventable and CAL FIRE and fire officials are determined to promote fire safe behaviors and decrease the number of burn injuries,” said Tonya Hoover, State Fire Marshal. “I hope parents use this week to talk with their children about fire and burn prevention at home as well as continue to keep children safe from burn injuries,”

CAL FIRE reminds parents of these simple safety measures for protecting loved ones from burns:

• Reduce water temperature. Set your hot water heater to 120 degrees. Consider putting anti-scald devices (about $40) on each faucet and showerhead. Check the bath water with your wrist or elbow before placing your child in the tub.

• Prevent spills. If possible, cook with pots and pans on back burners and turn handles away from the front where a child could grab them. Avoid wearing long sleeves or baggy clothes in the kitchen. Don’t place containers of hot food or liquid near the edge of a counter or table and remove tablecloths so a child cannot pull containers onto themselves.

• Establish a “kid-free zone.” Make the stove area a “kid-free zone” (3 feet is a good distance). Mark it on the floor with bright tape and tell the kids they are not allowed in that area. Never leave your child alone in the kitchen. Don’t hold children while cooking or while carrying hot foods and beverages.

• Test food and drink temperatures. Taste cooked foods and heated liquids to make sure they’re not too hot for children. Never microwave a baby’s bottle. Instead, heat bottles with warm water and test them before feeding your child.

• Keep electrical cords out of reach – especially extension cords and cords connected to heating appliances such as coffee pots and deep fryers. Make sure electrical cords can’t be pulled or snagged into a bathtub or sink. Don’t leave a hot iron sitting on an ironing board unattended

For more information, visit the Cal Fire Web site at www.fire.ca.gov.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Parks and Recreation Commission will hold its next regular meting on Thursday, Feb. 9.

The meeting will begin at 3 p.m. in the city council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

Commissioners are Lynn Andre, Cindy Ustrud, Ronald Bertsch, Ann Blue and Suzanne Russell.

The commission will receive reports on Library Park, Westside Park and Westshore Pool.

In new business, the commission will discuss Mormon Helping Hands Volunteer Day and agendize the election for committee chairperson.

The commission also will set the date of its next meeting fro 3 p.m. Thursday, March 8.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 88 of Lake County, will meet at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18.

The group will meet at the Konocti Bay Sailing Club building, located at Braito's Marina, 1555 Eastlake Drive at the end of Buckingham Peninsula.

For more information, call the Flotilla's information line at 707-513-5122.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Host Lions Club will present its annual crab feed on Saturday, March 10, at the Lakeport Senior Center.

The club is excited to team up this year with the Lakeport Senior Center, Early Lake Lions Club and Boy Scout Troop No. 42 to make this crab feed their best event ever.

The fun begins at 4 p.m. with a no-host bar, provided by the Early Lake Lions Club, with food service beginning at 5 p.m.

This event will include an exciting raffle, which offers an outstanding array of items donated by generous local businesses.

They also will continue with the ever-popular silent auction, offering a variety of delicious homemade desserts to complete your meal.

Crab feed tickets are limited in number and expected to sell out quickly.

The ticket price is $35 per person.

The menu includes pasta, salad, bread and, of course, the delicious cooked and cracked fresh crab.

No sauce, butter or seasonings are added to the crab. If you have a special accompaniment you prefer with your crab, you are asked to bring it with you.

The event is expected to sell out, so call to reserve or pick up your tickets today.

Tickets will be available at Lakeport Tire and Auto, 707-263-5422; Lakeport Senior Center, 707-263-4218; or from Lion Members Ed Collins/Trina Lane, 707-275-9847 or Debbe and Mike Blake, 707-263-7789.

Proceeds from this event will support the Lakeport Senior Center as well as local community groups.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – With rain expected this week around Lake County and the North Coast, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is offering the following storm preparation tips.

• Have battery-operated radios with fresh batteries ready for updates on storm conditions and power outages.

• Have battery-operated flashlights with fresh batteries on hand.

• Have a cell phone or hard-wire, single-line telephone on hand. Cordless phones will not work without electricity.

• Do not use candles because of the risk of fire. If you must use candles, use extreme caution. Do not use candles near drapes, under lampshades or near holiday trees. Keep candles away from small children and do not leave candles unattended.

• If you see a downed power line, assume it is “live” or carrying electric current. Do not touch or try to move it—and keep children and animals away. Report downed power lines and other electric emergencies immediately by calling 911 and PG&E’s customer service line at 1-800-PGE-5000.

• If your power goes out, turn off or even unplug all electric appliances. Otherwise, when power is restored, several appliances might come back on at once and overload your circuits or hot appliances might come on while you’re away or asleep and pose a fire hazard. Leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns. Turn your appliances back on one at a time when conditions return to normal.

• If you see a downed power line, assume it is “live” or carrying electric current. Do not touch or try to move it – and keep children and animals away. Report downed power lines and other electric emergencies immediately by calling 911 and PG&E’s customer service line at 1-800-PGE-5000.

For more storm-related tips and information, visit www.pge.com.