LAKE COUNTY – Free legal help is now available to Lake and Mendocino homeowners 60 years of age or older who need assistance in avoiding foreclosure or otherwise maintaining the affordability of their housing.

California Human Development, an area nonprofit agency serving northern and central California, has contracted with the Senior Law Project based in Lakeport to provide non-litigation services for seniors.

Advice and assistance can be provided towards obtaining a home loan modification or other remedy that may help keep seniors and their household members in their homes.

This assistance is funded through a contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is available for only a limited number of clients on a first-come, first served basis.

California Human Development can also provide foreclosure intervention counseling to all other households living anywhere in California, free of charge and with no income or age restrictions, through its HUD-certified counselors.

These counselors are bilingual English/Spanish and can provide counseling in person at California Human Development’s Santa Rosa headquarters, by telephone or by e-mail.

For more information on foreclosure intervention please contact Linda Hedstrom, California Human Development’s Housing and Economic development manager, at 707-372-4588 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Seniors living in Lake or Mendocino counties interested in legal assistance may contact the Senior Law Project office at 200-B N. Main St. in Lakeport or at 707-263-4703 to request an application.

From left, Kelsey Carstensen, Anne Barquist, Victoria Hayes and Clara Carstensen with "Navajo Spirit" quilt. Courtesy photo.

CLEAR LAKE STATE PARK – Clear Lake State Park Interpretive Association (CLSPIA) has received a gift of a beautiful king-size quilt, "Navajo Spirit,” from Kelseyville 4H members Kelsey Carstensen, Victoria Hayes and Clara Carstensen.

This exquisite quilt is given to CLSPIA for a fundraising raffle at the Wildflower Brunch on April 24 during the Heron Festival.

The bunch will take place from 9 a.m. to noon, Saturday only, in the Group Camp location over the footbridge from the Visitor Center parking or parking is available at the Group Camp.

This gift is an example of the true spirit of our local people who believe in and support CLSPIA and its work to preserve nature at its best as well as provide programs for all ages.

This group of 4H members has become accomplished in the craft of quilting under the guidance of Anne Barquist.

In addition to weekly quilting sessions, the girls and Barquist attend meetings of Ladies of the Lake Quilt Guild.

At their monthly meetings, guild members who have crafted a chosen quilt block called "Block of the Month," hold a drawing and one lucky attendee goes home with all of the blocks, the beginning of a beautiful new quilt.

Clara Carstensen was the lucky winner of quilt blocks designed by Brenda Ferrario. Together with Clara's sister, Kelsey Carstensen, Victoria Hayes and Anne Barquist, a quilt began to take shape.

The group decided to donate the quilt to CLSPIA for the Wildflower Brunch raffle at the Heron Days Festival. The girls made additional blocks and assembled the quilt. Anne Barquist provided the backing, filling and had it machine quilted. A border and binding were added and the quilt emerged with the name "Navajo Spirit."

To make reservations for the Wildflower Brunch on April 24, which cost $15 each, or to reserve a pontoon boat tour, $15 each, on either the April 24 or 25, go to www.heronfestival.org or phone 707-263-8030. A full schedule for the two day event is included on the Website. All events are free except the brunch and boat tours.

The meeting will be held at the Scotts Valley Women's Club, 2298 Hendricks Road, Lakeport.

A plant sale starts at 9:30 a.m. followed by the meeting at 10 a.m.

Lunch will be served about noon followed by a program. For lunch reservations call 707-263-3988 by April 23. The cost is $12.

Joelle and Dwight Holford will present a youth garden program for juvenile hall residents. The program is changing the lives of the youth.

Also Jess Hudson from Willits is presenting a virtual garden tour.

There are six garden clubs all within the Mendo-Lake District (www.mendolakedistrict.org). Clubs are located in Fort Bragg, Willits, Potter Valley, Ukiah, Lakeport and Nice/Lucerne.

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 Web sites 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.

EUREKA – Spring has arrived, and an increasing number of bicyclists are hitting the highways.

Caltrans wants to remind bicyclists and motorists that they need to share the road in a courteous, cautious, and attentive manner.

Safety is Caltrans' No. 1 goal, and the following tips will help keep both bicyclists and motorists safe on our highways.

For bicyclists:

Be sure your bicycle is safe to ride. Wear a helmet for safety, even if you are over 18, and bright clothing for increased visibility to motorists.

Follow the same rules of the road that apply to motorists. Ride defensively; expect motorists NOT to see you. Ride a car door’s width away from parked cars.

Be especially cautious at intersections; they are where most collisions occur. Always use lights at

night – a white headlight and a red taillight. Consider using flashing lights, front and back, in the daytime for increased visibility.

For motorists:

Remember that bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities on the road as motorists. When passing a bicyclist on a narrow road, wait until it is safe and you can give them at least 3 feet of

space between your vehicle and their bicycle.

Before making a right turn, be sure you are not turning in front of a bicyclist, and if there is a bike

lane motorists are required to signal and merge into it before turning. Be cautious when opening car doors.

For everyone:

Before traveling and during your trip, be sure to check current road conditions.

For the most current road information on all state highways, please call 1-800-427-7623 (1-800-GAS-ROAD), or visit www.dot.ca.gov.

Clear Lake Scullers will offer open houses and learn to row days this spring and summer. Courtesy photo.

LAKEPORT – Clear Lake Scullers, a community-based rowing club, offers open houses and learn to row days in the spring and early summer.

Everyone is welcome, including residents and visitors of all ages.

You may learn to sweep row, scull, or paddle kayaks and canoes, or take a refresher.

CLS also offers classes and camps for adults and students for rowing, paddling and water safety in the summer. Membership is open to the public and there are year round programs.

The goal of Clear Lake Scullers is to provide broad access to beautiful Clear Lake, expose people to a wide variety of aquatic sports with emphasis on safety and competence, as well as teaching the skills necessary for athletes to train and race at the collegiate, masters or national level.

The club is located in the city of Lakeport at the site of Natural High School on Main Street just north of Library Park. You will see the boats there in a fenced in yard.

Dates for this summer include learn to row days on Saturdays, May 15 and May 29. Rowing camp for adults will be in the evenings the week of June 28.

The high school camp will be on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday mornings starting June 29 and will run for four 4 weeks. The high school camp is free and the adult camp is $100, which includes club

membership and all benefits for the summer.

Dates for the youth camp will be announced.

For more information contact Mike Sullivan at 707-349-9779 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or check out the group's Web site at www.clearlakescullers.org/.

The AAHMES Shriners Club held its annual inauguration of offices on Tuesday, March 30, 2010, at Hartley Lodge Masonic Hall in Lakeport, Calif. From left, last year's president, JJ Jackson, Honorable Potentate Jay Williams and 2010 Shriners Club President Jim Swatts. Courtesy photo.

LAKEPORT – The AAHMES Shriners Club had its annual inauguration on March 30 at Hartley Lodge Masonic Hall in Lakeport.

With great honor, the gavel has changed hands from former President J.J. Jackson to newly elected President Jim Swatts in the presence of Honorable Potentate Jay Williams, its members and guests.

Other members were also honored and their official positions are: Harvey Fisher, vice president; Skip Wilson, secretary; Bill Storey, treasurer; Freeman Hass, ambassador-at-large; and Randy Hass, club ambassador.

It has been a great honor to be visited by the Potentate and to listen to his inspiring speech. It was an event to be well remembered. The group thanks the Honorable Potentate for visiting.

The Lake County AAHMES Shriners Club is a organization that provides free medical treatment at the Shriners Hospital to children born with physical impairment or injured from severe burns.

The Shriners provide free transportation for the children and parents and housing, when needed, through fund raising and yard sales.

To those that shall forever live in the memory of parents, children they have served. These are the warriors of love; these are the Lake County “AAHMES” Shriners Club.

They have left a written historical legacy behind them forever to be remembered for their effort, love and care given to children which otherwise would have never lived a normal life. Hats off to these wonderful human beings.