CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On Saturday, June 30, U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 88 of Lake County held a free life jacket giveaway in front of Walmart in Clearlake.  

A total of 82 children were weighed and fitted for life jackets and the supply was exhausted by 11 a.m.   

Approximately 40 children were turned away because of the limited supply.  

The Flotilla is grateful for the $1,000 Walmart grant to purchase the life jackets and for their help in supplying tables and chairs for the event.

The cooperation of the parents and children who waited in the hot sun with no complaints was greatly appreciated.

Flotilla 88 deemed the project a success and will work toward doubling the amount of free life jackets for next year's life jacket giveaway.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Shannon Michele of Cache Creek Catering and Lake County Wine Studio are presenting a monthly food and wine series featuring gourmet appetizers paired with select Lake County wines.

The next event will take place Friday, July 13.

Locally produced foods are proudly featured as key ingredients in recipes created by Cache Creek Catering.
 
The series is held from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the second Friday of each month. The per person cost is $20 and reservations are required.
 
June’s event featured Six Sigma wines with a preview of summertime barbecue favorites. The first course was grilled zucchini and green onions with Romesco sauce paired with Tempranillo, followed by grilled pork meatballs with smoked paprika and Manchego paired with Cabernet Sauvignon.

The final pairing of a grilled stone fruit with rosemary honey and chevré served with Sol Rouge Late Harvest Viognier completed the three-course event.

July 13 is themed “An American Picnic” with wines from Ceago Vinegarden. The “red” course features fresh strawberries and Chevré with Ceago Rosé, followed by the “white” course of balsamic and garlic marinated chicken on ciabatta.

The final course will be the “blue” course with blackberry tart paired with Ceago’s port-style Syrah.

The Aug. 10 event will bring Moore Family wines to the farm table.

Sept. 14 will feature fresh harvested Lake County pears.

Oct. 12 marries old vine wines with Lake County heirloom walnuts.
 
For reservations and additional information, contact Susan at 707-293-8752.

MENDOCINO NATIONAL FORES, Calif. – The employees of the Mendocino National Forest want to remind visitors to have a safe July 4 holiday, especially while recreating in the forest.

“We want everyone to have a safe and memorable Fourth of July, especially those joining us on the forest,” said Forest Supervisor Sherry Tune. “We have been very fortunate not to have a large fire on the forest since 2008 and would like to ask visitors to help us maintain that this fire season by being careful during their visit.”

With conditions warming up and drying out, visitors are asked to be careful with fire in the National Forest, including campfires, gas stoves and lanterns.

Fireworks, including sparklers, are prohibited on the Mendocino National Forest.

The forest currently isn’t under any fire restrictions. However, with fuel moisture levels dropping, the forest anticipates entering fire restrictions as early as the middle of next week.

Upon entering fire restrictions, notice will be posted at recreation sites throughout the forest. Visitors are asked to be aware if fire restrictions start during their visit over the holiday.

Nighttime temperatures are generally cooler in the mountains, and even during summer there is the possibility of storms in the mountains.

Visitors should be prepared for changing conditions. Bring layered clothing and plenty of food and water on your outdoor adventure. Tell someone where you are planning on going, which routes you plan on taking and when you plan on being back.

With the holiday in the middle of the work week, visitors may also notice traffic from forest project work, including road maintenance and ecological restoration projects.

All Mendocino National Forest offices will be closed Wednesday, July 4, in observance of the holiday.

For more information, please contact the Mendocino National Forest at 530-934-3316 or visit www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Hidden Valley Lake Realty, located at 17568 Spruce Road Extension No. A, is Lake Co-op’s new drop point for Hidden Valley area residents.

Customers ordering through the co-op may now pick up their weekly fresh grocery orders and monthly Azure Standard orders from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays at a convenient location just across from the main entrance of Hidden Valley Lake community.
 
Hidden Valley Lake Realty managers, Carson and Mary Underwood, offered to host Lake Co-op’s drop point when the Greenview Restaurant was unable to continue hosting the drop point.

“We’re so grateful for the service that the Greenview Restaurant was able to provide for Hidden Valley residents, and are equally grateful for Carson and Mary’s offering. We’re excited about the convenience of the location for area residents,” said Co-op Chair Janine Smith-Citron.
 
Lake Co-op recently launched new online ordering software in addition to their new Web site and freshened look to their logo and name.

“The new site, along with the new services of home delivery, subscription orders and owner shares is a new page in the co-op’s history,” said Consulting Operations Manager JoAnn Saccato.
 
In its fifth year of operation, the co-op offers local and regional organic produce to Lake County residents through a trendy online ordering and weekly distribution model used for sourcing local food.

Their weekly fruit and vegetable boxes, modeled after CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), are sourced local first, regional second and through an organic distributor third, paying close attention to the miles from farm to fork.
 
Coupled with the new convenience of subscribing to receive the box on a weekly basis, home delivery and ten drop points throughout the county, the co-op is Lake County’s premier source for providing the freshest local and organic produce.
 
Lake Co-op has recently opened sales to the public requiring no owner membership to purchase products through their online store.
 
Additional individual produce items and value added products, such as breads, oils, and dried sea veggies can also be ordered through the site.
 
Customers of the co-op place orders from Sunday, 12:01 a.m. to Tuesday, 12:30 p.m., either through their new convenient online shopping Web site, www.lake.coop , or through calling 707-993-4270.

Customers can choose from a fresh fruit and vegetable box and/or order items individually. On Thursdays customers pick up their orders at one of ten locally-owned businesses throughout the county or receive the order on their doorstep.
 
For a list of all drop points, more information on shopping, or becoming an owner or producer for the Co-op, visit www.lakeco-op.org or call 707-993-4270.

Unit Chief Tim Streblow of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit announced that beginning at 8 a.m., Monday, July 2, all permits for open burning within State and Local Responsibility Areas under contract to Cal Fire are suspended.  

The proclamation covers the counties of Colusa, Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo.  

Agriculture, land management, fire training and other industrial-type burning may proceed in the State Responsibility Area if a Cal Fire official inspects the burn site and issues a special permit.  

Campfires are allowed in designated campgrounds, or in established facilities on private property, with permission of the jurisdictional authority.  

Persons burning under special permit must also check with their regional air quality management district for additional regulations and requirements.

Experience has shown that suspending open burning is an effective way of preventing fire escapes, especially as California enters the summer season period of hotter and drier weather.  

Although all fires cannot be prevented through a burning suspension, their numbers can be significantly reduced.

Cal Fire reminds everyone that it is each individual’s responsibility to use fire safely and to prevent fires that destroy lives, property and our wildland.   

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

PROCLAMATION SUSPENDING BURNING PERMITS

In the CAL FIRE Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit including all State Responsibility Areas and Local Responsibility Areas under contract to CAL FIRE within the following counties: Colusa,  Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma, Yolo.

Due to the extreme menace of wildfires and their potential to destroy life, property, and natural resources; and due to current and predicted fire weather and the acute dryness of vegetation; under the authority vested in me by the Director of the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection as per Section 4423.1 of the Public Resources Code, I hereby suspend, except within incorporated cities, the privileges of burning by permit and other use of open fire, with the following exceptions:    

Agricultural, forest management, fire training, and other industrial-type burning may proceed if a CAL FIRE official has inspected the area and issued a permit.  

Campfires within organized campgrounds or on private property are allowed if the campfire is maintained in such a manner as to prevent the campfire from spreading to the wildland vegetation.    
 
This suspension will begin at 8:00 AM Monday, July 2, 2012, and will continue in place until formally cancelled.

This PROCLAMATION is issued at St. Helena, California, this 30th day of June, 2012.

By:    Original Signed by Tim Streblow

Tim Streblow, Unit Chief
Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The 45th annual International Worm Races will be held during the city of Clearlake’s Independence Day festivities on Saturday, June 30.

The city’s parade starts at 11 a.m.; the worm races begin afterward at Austin Park.

Last year more than 300 racers participated in the worm races. This year they are expecting a larger turnout.

Bring your own worm if you wish or rent one from the famed stables of the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce.

This year's winners in the three age categories: 0 to 6 years; 7 to 14 years; and 15 and over.

All will vie for cash prizes and trophies.