WASHINGTON, DC – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced this week that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is launching a pilot program to help rural borrowers refinance their mortgages to reduce their monthly payments.

The Single Family Housing Guaranteed Rural Refinance Pilot Program will operate in 19 states for homeowners who have loans that were made or guaranteed by USDA Rural Development. These states are among those hardest hit by the downturn in the housing market.

"Through initiatives like the one we are announcing today, the Obama Administration is taking aggressive steps to fight for middle class homeowners who have played by the rules and are trying to get ahead," said Vilsack. "This pilot program will help homeowners' to take advantage of historically low interest rates, and by working closely with lenders, we are helping rural homeowners protect one of the most important investments they will ever make."

USDA Rural Development estimates 235,000 homeowners will be eligible to refinance their loans, which is expected to save them considerable time and money.

To be eligible under this pilot, borrowers must have made their mortgage payments on time for 12 consecutive months. They do not have to obtain new credit reports, property inspections or home appraisals.

Refinanced loans must be at rates below the original interest rate. Terms cannot exceed 30 years. No cash out is permitted to the borrower.

The two-year pilot is open to homeowners in Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina and Tennessee.

The performance of the pilot will be reviewed after two years to evaluate whether to continue it, terminate it or make it permanent.

The pilot expands upon USDA's ongoing help for rural homeowners. In 2010, USDA Rural Development established an aggressive modification policy for Guaranteed Loans that helps homeowners who are delinquent on their mortgages.

These homeowners can lower their monthly payments through a loan modification that reamortizes their payments over a term of up to 40 years, lowers their interest rate, or both.

USDA also has a "Mortgage Recovery Advance" program in which the Department provides guaranteed lenders up to 12 months of mortgage payments on behalf of borrowers who have fallen behind on their payments due to job loss or other hardships.

Allowing rural homeowners in good standing that have home loans that were made or guaranteed by USDA to refinance their homes will bring increased capital to rural America and ease the financial burdens on homeowners. This pilot program will not cost taxpayers additional dollars.

All USDA Rural Development housing loans meet rigorous underwriting standards and are made only to qualified borrowers. These are not subprime loans.

The SFHG Rural Refinance Pilot Program complements President Obama's recent announcement to help responsible homeowners and heal the housing market. The measures the President and USDA are taking will help stabilize communities and help middle class families across the country.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Public Service's Director Caroline Chavez announced that the Eastlake Landfill and the Lakeport Public Services office will be closed Monday, Feb. 20, in observance of the Presidents' Day holiday.

Both facilities will reopen on Tuesday, Feb. 21.

Normal operating hours at the landfill are 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. The Public Services office is normally open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Select Committee on Ethics Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Vice-Chairman Johnny Isakson (R-GA) on Thursday praised the Senate’s passage of their amendment to the STOCK Act that would increase transparency and strengthen disclosure requirements by requiring members of Congress to disclose all their mortgages.

The new requirements would also apply to the President, the Vice President and most Senate-confirmable appointees.

The amendment is based on legislation that Senator Boxer and Senator Isakson first introduced in August 2009 to require members of Congress to make a “full and complete” disclosure of all residential mortgages, including the date that the mortgage was entered, the range of the amount, the interest rate, the term, and the name and address of the creditor.

“This measure makes it clear that any mortgage held by a member of Congress must be disclosed to ensure that lawmakers are treated the same as every other American,” said Boxer “The amendment corrects an omission in Senate ethics rules that did not require disclosure of all residential mortgages.”

Senator Isakson said, “I am a firm believer that the greatest accountability mechanism for members of Congress is transparency, and this amendment will add more transparency to our financial disclosures. The Senate’s passage of this amendment demonstrates a commitment to making ourselves more accountable to the American people.”

EMERYVILLE, Calif. – Don’t commit a party foul after the Super Bowl and wind up penalized with a trip to the hospital, or behind bars for drunk driving.

If you’ve been drinking during the Super Bowl, AAA Northern California will take you and your car home for free.

AAA’s Tipsy Tow program is open to everyone. You do not need to be a AAA member to take advantage of this service to the community.

AAA will offer the service to drinking drivers from 6 p.m. on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 5, to 6 a.m. Monday, Feb. 6, in Northern California.

Drivers, potential passengers, party hosts, bartenders and restaurant managers can call 800-222-4357 (AAA-HELP) for a free tow home of up to ten miles.

Just tell the AAA operator, “I need a Tipsy Tow,” and a truck will be on its way.        

The service will provide a one-way ride for the driver and vehicle to the driver’s home. If there are additional passengers who need a ride, they will be taken to the driver’s home as long as there is room for them to be transported safely in the tow truck. You cannot make a reservation.

“Everybody wants to have fun at a Super Bowl party,” said Cynthia Harris, spokesperson for AAA Northern California. “But if you’ve been drinking, don’t get behind the wheel. Give AAA a call and we’ll make sure you get home safely.”

During Super Bowl Sunday in 2009, the California Highway Patrol reported that 11 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes. That’s three times the daily average in California. An additional 163 people were injured in crashes involving alcohol.

The same year, the CHP also arrested 488 people for drunk driving. According to 2008 statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drunk-driving crashes account for about 36 percent of highway deaths of young people age 16 to 24. As little as one drink can impair vision, steering, braking, judgment, and reaction time.

AAA estimates that a first time DUI conviction in California can cost up to $12,000 in fines, penalties, restitution, legal fees and added insurance expenses. You can’t put a price tag on a crash that causes an injury or death.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The next session of the Redwood Valley Civil War Roundtable is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 6, at 6:15 p.m., at the Tallman Hotel in Upper Lake.

The presentation will be “The Struggle For Western Tennessee,” with a focus on the battles for Forts Henry and Donelson, which led to the fall of the first Confederate state capital (Nashville, Tenn.) and the loss of much of western Tennessee.

Master Presenter Zane Jensen will take the lead in outlining the key events, then he will lead the group in a roundtable discussion.

Jensen, a US history teacher at Terrace Middle School, toured the Fort Donelson battlefield last summer, according to Phil Smoley, roundtable coordinator.

“Jensen's visit to the battlefield will allow him to bring a personal and tangible element to his presentation,” Smoley said. “He already brings great knowledge and passion to his presentations, and now his personal portfolio of photos of the site will bring the story to life.”

The group was formed by Jensen and Smoley late in 2010 as a way for the local community to commemorate the sesquicentennial of the Civil War by reviewing the events chronologically, looking at what happened 150 years ago month by month. January marked the first anniversary of the group.

“We try to tailor the presentations so that both the historical novice and the history buff will enjoy and benefit from,” Smoley explained. “Our discussions are often robust and provocative with a wide range of opinions shared.”

Admission is free.

For more information, contact Zane Jensen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Phil Smoley at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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

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

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 175

– PG&E of Eureka has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for utility work from the junction of Routes 29/175 near Kelseyville to 1.5 miles west of Socrates Mine Road beginning Monday, Feb. 6. Work hours are 8 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

– Replacement of the Greenwood Creek Bridge will begin Monday, February 6. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Golden Gate Bridge Inc. of Martinez.

Highway 20

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from Marina Drive to Potter Valley Road through Friday, Feb. 3. Work hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

Highway 101

– A pavement repair project from Perkins Street to West Road will continue. Work hours are 5 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel. Motorists may
experience minor traffic slowdowns. Contractor – Granite Construction Inc. of Ukiah.

– PG&E of Eureka has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for utility work from Madrone Street to just north of Walnut Street beginning Monday, Feb. 6. Work hours are 8 a.m. to noon,
weekdays. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

Highway 128

– Paulson Excavation of Albion has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for spill cleanup 2.1 miles west of Mountain House Road on Friday, February 3. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Work on all these projects is weather permitting and subject to change. Caltrans advises motorists to drive with caution when approaching work areas and to be prepared to stop at traffic control stations.

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).