This was followed by a very fun and hyperactive classroom session all about light speeds and distances in the universe.

Astronomer Vic Stryker – The Olde Stargeezer – helped lead the wonderful fun and interactive session, with all enjoying pointing at Orion the Hunter, aka the Bart Simpson constellation.

The Norton Planetarium was all decked out in merry red Christmas lights with a lovely illuminated fat penguin and three candles display, with rocking Christmas music in the star theater.

Because it was cloudy there was a sign on the telescope dome door which said, “Tonight you may look at instead of through the telescope because ... It's cloudy.”

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MIDDLETOWN – Eat, have fun, do good. The Rotary Club of Middletown’s 17th annual Crab Feed and Auctions happens on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2009, at the Lions Clubhouse, Central Park Road, Middletown.

Doors open at 5 p.m., with dinner served at 6 p.m.

Dinner is fresh green salad, pasta with Chef Duane’s homemade sauce, crispy French bread with dipping oil, lots of crab (of course), dessert and coffee

This year there is reduced seating in order to give participants more elbow room, plus group discounts and reserved seating.

Tickets are $50 per person, which includes two drink tickets and a door prize chance. For groups of 10 or more, there’s a 10-percent discount to $45 per person.

Tickets must be pre-paid by Jan. 15 for group reserved seating. Give the names of the people in your group and a group name, so you can be seated together.

This is a sell-out event every year, so don’t be disappointed by waiting until the last minute. Get your checks and reservations in early. Make checks payable to RC of Middletown and mail to P.O. Box 981, Middletown, CA 95461. Pre-paid tickets can be mailed or held at the door.

Silent and live auction items include wine and wine tastings, airplane rides, original art and jewelry, live music, overnight accommodations and shows, a time-share in Mexico, ski lift passes, Disneyland tickets, canoe rides and much more.

Auction donations will be received until Jan. 15. Sponsorships are also available.

For more information, tickets, auction donations or sponsorships, call Helen Whitney at 928-9812 or Terry Hoberg at 987-3446. Tickets are also available from any Middletown Rotarian, or at Tri-Counties Bank, Westamerica Bank or Middletown Florist and Gifts in Middletown.

All proceeds from this fundraiser go to local and international humanitarian projects and programs. Rotary is a world-wide all-volunteer service organization. “Service Above Self” is its motto.

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Marie Beery hands a donation check to Habitat for Humanity President Richard Birk, along with Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors members (left to right) Karl Parker, Linda Pyers, Buzz Foote (guest), Angela Birk, Dennis Locke, Gary Lewis and Voris Brumfield. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE – Owner Marie Beery of the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro in Kelseyville has honored Habitat for Humanity once again with a donation of 50 percent of the restaurant's annual corkage fees, which this time was more than $2,000.

With the donation of the corkage fees and the annual Habitat dinner, the Saw Shop Bistro has so far raised more than $52,000 for Habitat for Humanity Lake County.

With the addition of these funds, Habitat for Humanity has been able to provide more decent homes for Lake County families in need.

Besides being a restaurant owner, Beery also is known for her hard work in making Lake County a better place to live. Since its inception, she has given her time to produce the Lake County Wine Alliance's annual Wine Auction, which has donated more than $700,000 to local charities.

For those interested in supporting with funds and/or donating their time to Habitat for Humanity, Lake County, please telephone 994-1100 for further information.

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PawPAC, created in 1980, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization committed to the protection of animals.

In a recently-released report, Paw Pac scored California’s 40 State Senators and 80 Assembly members on their votes on eight pieces of legislation introduced this year.

According to PawPAC, Wiggins voted correctly on all eight of those measures, as did Assemblywoman Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa), former Assemblywoman Patty Berg (D-Eureka) and former Assemblywoman and now Sen. Lois Wolk (D-Davis).

The targeted pieces of legislation were:

• AB 2098, strengthening existing law to prohibit auctions and slaughterhouses from accepting and abusing animals that cannot walk;

• AB 2291, adding a check-off donation on state income tax forms to fund low-cost spay/neuter programs;

• AB 2427, prohibiting cities/counties from banning any act that falls within the regulatory definition of that business, such as de-clawing of cats;

• AB 2785, requiring the state Wildlife Conservation Board to designate and protect wildlife corridors;

• AB 2911, strengthening protections against oil spills and calling for better use of volunteers to rehabilitate injured wildlife;

• AJR 41, asking U.S. Fish and Wildlife to extend the Endangered Species Act to cover polar bears and penguins that are affected by global warming;

• AJR 62, asking the National Marine Fisheries Service to deny long-line swordfish permits off the California coast (the method often kills sea turtles);

• SB 908, requiring environmental education to include climate change.

Wiggins represents California’s Second Senate District, which includes portions or all of six counties: Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Sonoma.

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

In observance of the New Years Day holiday, Caltrans crews and contractors will not be performing any activity on state highways that would include lane closures on Thursday, Jan. 1. However, Caltrans will respond to emergency situations with traffic control as required. Have a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season.

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 20

– A roadway realignment project from 1.4 miles east of the North Fork Cache Creek Bridge to 1.6 miles west of Walker Ridge Road will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Argonaut Constructors of Santa Rosa.

Highway 29

– A slide repair project from the Lupiyoma Creek Bridge to Bar X Ranch will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate ive-minute delays. Contractor – Argonaut Constructors of Santa Rosa.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– City of Fort Bragg has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for a sobriety checkpoint at Cypress Street on Saturday, Dec. 27, from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Southbound traffic will be stopped and checked. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 101

– A pavement repair project from 0.1 miles north to 1.5 miles north of Comminsky Station Road will continue. Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

– Roadway repair due to pavement deterioration from 3.6 miles south of Ridgewood Ranch Road to 1.9 miles south of Ridgewood Ranch Road will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

Highway 162

– A bridge widening project at Outlet Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal is in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Viking Construction Co. Inc. of Rancho Cordova.

Highway 253

– A bridge widening project at Anderson Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal is in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Viking Construction Co. Inc. of Rancho Cordova.

– A bridge widening project at Soda Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal is in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Viking Construction Co. Inc. of Rancho Cordova.

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).

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