Annie, a black and tan coon hound, went missing on Sunday, June 19, 2011. Her owner is seeking her return. Photo courtesy of Jeremy Somer.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – An Oakland man is asking for the community's help in locating his missing dog.

Jeremy Somer is trying to find Annie, a black and tan coon hound that disappeared on Sunday, June 19.

“I was visiting my father on Father's Day weekend, and in the middle of the night she disappeared, and we haven't seen her since,” said Somer.

He spent two days hiking the hills and driving around near where his father lives near Upper Lake looking for her without success.

He also contacted the shelter and posted fliers before he had to return to Oakland without her.

Somer is asking that anyone with information about Annie call him at 510-434-4506.

Tami Ipsen of Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District will discuss planning, soil preparation and irrigation systems especially suited to Hidden Valley Lake.

She also will provide a list of plants that do well in this area.

The public is welcome to attend meetings which are held in the administration building of the Hidden Valley Lake Association, 18174 Hidden Valley Road.

Membership is open to all interested persons.

Meetings are held the second Monday of each month with a social gathering with refreshments at 9:30 a.m., business meeting and program 10 a.m.

The mission of the HVL Garden Club is to provide members a greater sense of appreciation, pride and knowledge about our private and public gardens and for the study and enjoyment of amateur gardening in various aspects and applications.

For further information please contact Angela Birk at 707-987-0195, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The program is funded through a contract with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

Eligible applicants include incorporated nonprofit organizations and unincorporated community-based groups, with a financial sponsor, located in California.

Individual funding requests range from $1,000 to $7,500.

Applicants may submit only one proposal. Grants are for the costs associated with the purchase and planting of trees on public land and maintenance of the trees during the grant period.

“ReLeaf is proud to be an integral part of building community through urban forestry in California,” said Executive Director Joe Liszewski. “Since 1992, we have invested more than $2.8 million in urban forestry efforts geared towards greening our Golden State.”

California ReLeaf’s mission is to empower grassroots efforts and build strategic partnerships that preserve, protect, and enhance California’s urban and community forests.

Working statewide, the group promotes alliances among community-based groups, individuals, industry, and government agencies, encouraging each to contribute to the livability of our cities and the protection of our environment by planting and caring for trees.

Proposals must be postmarked by August 1, 2011.

Grant recipients will have until March 2012 to complete their planting project.

The guidelines and application are available online at www.californiareleaf.org.

To request a hard copy, please contact the grants manager at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 916-497-0035.

From left, District Secretary Jo Douville, District Director GinaBelle Smith and Penny Pines Chairman Ann Blue. Photo by Barbara Swanson.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Jo Douville, district secretary of MendoLake District Garden Club, recently was honored with a Penny Pines Plantation for her dedication to the organization.

She was presented with a certification and map of the Spanish fire location along with 350 seedlings on approximately one acre to be planted in her honor.

The garden club participates in the National Forest Service Penny Pines program to provide funds that assist in replanting areas damaged by fire, weather or insects with seedlings.

Anyone interested in more information on participating in this program, contact Penny Pines Chairman Ann Blue at 707-263-5854.

There are six garden clubs all within the Mendo-Lake District (www.mendolakedistrict.org).

All the districts in California are under the California Garden Club Inc., www.CaliforniaGardenClubs.org, then within the Pacific Region (www.PacificregionGardenClubs.org), and then the National Garden Clubs Inc. (www.gardenclub.org).

These websites contain a wealth of information – check them out.

GinaBelle Smith is the Mendo-Lake District Director. For further information check out any of the above websites or call 707-964-3798.

All are welcome to visit the garden clubs.

The district meets quarterly and the public is invited to attend any of the meetings. Watch for future announcements of meetings and activities.

At 9 a.m. special guest speaker Harry Lyons, senior faculty member at the Clear Lake Campus of Yuba College, will discuss “Aspects of the Natural History of Lake County.”

“Starting with plate motions in ancient oceans and ending with heavily subsidized ecosystems fostering giant bass, premium wine, and geothermal steam, it's all a matter of basic physics, chemistry, geology, and biology,” Lyons explained.

Dr. Lyons received his doctorate in oceanography from the Scripps Institution at the University of California, his bachelor's in agriculture from Rutgers University, and has pursued research at Stanford University.

He also is an internationally obscure jazz musician, and can be relied on for songs to make the technical concepts, his students say, “as clear as the lake.”

If you have not had the privilege of attending a Harry Lyons presentation, don't miss this opportunity. He gives fascinating, humorous and spellbinding talks that will leave you wanting more!

Bring a folding chair or blanket and relax in the shade. Refreshments will be available.

Following the presentation, for those interested, there will be a guided walk on the 1.3 mile interpretive trail loop where you can see over 50 signs identifying the plants, shrubs, trees, mosses and wildflowers along the path. Sturdy shoes are required.

The outdoor presentation and hike are sponsored by Friends of Boggs Mountain.

The Boggs Forest entrance is on Highway 175, 1.3 miles north of Cobb Village. Look for the large State Forest sign and turn onto Forestry Road and proceed to the parking area.

For more information you may call Boone at 707-928-5819 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the SPACE Theater, 508 W. Perkins St., Ukiah.

Come for a day of educational workshops and free legal assistance with citizenship applications.

All lawful permanent residents (green card holders) interested in learning about the naturalization process or applying for U.S. citizenship are welcome.

Appointments are encouraged but not necessary.

For more information about what documents you may want to bring, please call Angélica at Legal Services of Northern California at 707-513-1026.

Refreshments will be provided.

The event is sponsored by Legal Services of Northern California, Assemblymember Wes Chesbro, Senator Noreen Evans, Congressman Thompson, MendoLake Credit Union, Savings Bank and North Coast Opportunities.