KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – After seven years in the garden at the Kelseyville Elementary School,  Kelseyville Kids’ Garden Club is proud to be able to offer its first alumni scholarship.

It has indeed been that long since the club served its first year-end harvest luncheon to teachers and students at Kelseyville Elementary School.  

The fifth graders of that first spring in the garden are graduating from high school this year and the Kelseyville Kids’ Garden Club invites them to obtain an application from the office at Kelseyville High School.

The $350 award will be based on clubbers' attendance at meetings and the ability that was shown, during their time in the garden club, to focus on and complete tasks. There may be a little quiz to see who was really paying attention.

The 2013 Proud Supporters sign is due to go up in the next week or so, a bit behind schedule, as this year the signs will be removed from the fence where they have been proudly displayed since the beginning of Kelseyville Kids’ Garden Club in 2006.  

This year’s sign will be installed on new 4 inch by 4 inch redwood posts just in front of the same fence allowing for a neater presentation and making “out with the old, in with the new” (which has to happen because of limited space) a much safer process. There won’t be any fingers tangled up in the cyclone fence this year.  

And, more than ever, the Kelseyville Kids’ Garden Club is in need of volunteers.

The Kelseyville Kids’ Garden Club faces no greater challenge than that of securing reliable volunteers.

Unfortunately, many of the volunteers are understandably discouraged by the unruliness and, to be honest, plain disrespect that many of the youngsters are guilty of. “Too many children are not being taught respect at home,” said garden club director, Helen Finch, who believes that those are the children who need adult guidance and interaction the most.  

When there are enough volunteers on hand, Finch is able to create and oversee special projects to engage these children who are often the brightest and most capable.  

With a strong crew of volunteers the Kelseyville Kids’ Garden Club strives to provide an environment where children can learn about boundaries and respect, as well as gardening and fresh food. You can make the difference.

If you would like to volunteer one or two days a week, Tuesday or Thursday from 1:30 p.m. until 3 p.m., you may join “the crew” for an orientation luncheon in the garden at Kelseyville Elementary School, 5065 Konocti Road, on Feb. 7 at 11 a.m.

Please RSVP so food preparation can be determined; call Helen Finch at 707-279-9400.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Democratic Central Committee will hold its regular meeting on Thursday, Feb. 7.

The monthly meeting will take place at 7 p.m. at 1210 S. Main St. in Lakeport.

The agenda includes reports from representatives for Congressmen Mike Thompson and John Garamendi, Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada and state Sen. Noreen Evans, as well as reports from Stonewall Democratic Club Chair Mark Wickhamshire and representative from the Lake County Democratic Club Paula Mune.

An announcement will be made of who the committee delegates to the state convention are.

All those interested in meeting and discussing issues that will be carried to the state convention by these delegates are encouraged to attend the meeting. They can get to know their representatives and discuss the issues that are important to them.

The representatives will carry local party members' voices to the State Democratic Party to help shape party policy. Help them make the California Democratic Party the model for the nation.

Meetings are open to the public and committee membership is open to all registered Democrats.

The Lake County Democratic Central Committee is the official governing body of the Democratic Party in Lake County.

Contact the Democratic Party of Lake County at 707-533-4885 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – Serving Lake County along with the Lakeport Branch 168, the Hidden Valley Lake SIRS meets monthly at HVL Golf Course's Green View room every third Friday to enjoy a great luncheon and share news and camaraderie among its retired and semi-retired members.

Branch 133 has a membership of more than 75 men from HVL, Lower Lake, Clear Lake, Clearlake Oaks, Lakeport and other nearby communities.

Most enjoy the branch’s active golf events schedule as well as other special events around holidays.

SIRs is a statewide organization which promotes the dignity and welfare of retired men in all walks of life to enjoy life in their later years with old friends as well as new acquaintances.

Visit www.sirinc.org to learn more.

Individuals interested in learning about or joining Branch 133 at Hidden Valley Lake can call Bill Brewster at 707-987-9352.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Friends of the Middletown Gibson Library held their election meeting in November and the following officers were elected.

Fran Rand is the newly elected president. She has experience serving as treasurer, secretary, publicity and newsletter chairperson in this and previous friends groups.  

Marcine Crowhurst was elected vice president. She is a retired international educator who views public libraries as examples of equal access for all and she is also a reading specialist.

Randa Fish was elected secretary. She has worked in a high school library, is a member of a local book club, and believes that libraries are essential to the intellectual growth of people and a cornerstone of our communities.  

Jacque Bogue was elected as an interim treasurer (director for now), and will take over the treasurer's job from Gehlen Palmer when they transition to the new Middletown Public Library. She has been active in the group for six years and has worked on fundraising, book sales and publicity, and looks forward to making the new library the best in the county.

Tamsen Nash was elected a director. She has 30 years experience as a resource specialist and teacher working in special education and independent study, and also facilitates two Lake County book discussion groups.  

Will Crowhurst was elected as a director. He is a retired teacher, school principal and superintendent and also worked on the International School of Prague Library.

Gehlen Palmer will continue as treasurer until the move to the new library. He has been the librarian for the past 18 years and will continue to be so when they move to the new Middletown Public Library.
 
The new board is excited about promoting the beautiful new library.  Some of the projects they are planning are children's events and activities, literacy programs, local group displays (history, genealogy, quilts, artists, etc.) and the semi-annual book sales.

They welcome any and all suggestions from the public about what programs they would like to see in their new library.
 
The group also has expanded its patron wall so there are additional spaces for anyone who is interested in having their name on it.  

Please contact Gehlen Palmer during library hours at 707-987-3674 for details.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Public Services Director Caroline C. Chavez announced that the Eastlake Landfill and the Lakeport Public Services office will be closed Monday, Feb. 18, in observance of the Presidents Day holiday.

Residential pickup will be on their regular scheduled day.  

Both facilities will reopen on Tuesday, Feb. 19.

Normal operating hours at the landfill are 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

The Public Services office normally is 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.

California’s wild animals and plants need your help, and there’s an easy way to do it.

Just make a voluntary contribution on line 403 and/or line 410 of your state income tax return (Form 540).

By contributing any amount over one dollar you can support the Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Rare and Endangered Species Preservation Fund and/or the California Sea Otter Fund.

What you donate this year is tax deductible on next year’s return. Californians can receive state income tax credit from the Franchise Tax Board for helping wildlife.

“The voluntary contributions Californians make at tax time are incredibly helpful in our efforts to save threatened and endangered species,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “These funds have provided critical support for many state-listed species, including the Tiburon mariposa lily, Owens pupfish, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, mountain yellow-legged frog, great gray owl, Sierra Nevada red fox and many more. These donations help protect California’s exceptional biodiversity.”

There are 387 listed plant and animal species in the state, from little “bugs” that most of us have never heard of, to the iconic California sea otter.

Money raised through the tax check-off program helps pay for essential CDFW research and recovery efforts, and critical updates on the status of state-listed species to help assure their conservation.

California is one of 41 states that allows taxpayers to make voluntary, tax-deductible contributions to worthwhile causes on their state returns.

Since 1983, the tax check-off fund for Rare and Endangered Species has raised more than $18 million and supported numerous projects, including surveys for the endangered Sierra Nevada red fox.

Support from California taxpayers has enabled wildlife biologists to achieve important recovery milestones to conserve vulnerable species.

More information on the Rare and Endangered Species Preservation tax check-off program is available at www.dfg.ca.gov/taxcheck .

A second tax check-off fund was created in 2006 specifically to facilitate recovery of the California sea otter, which is listed as a Fully Protected Species under the state law and threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.

According to the most recently completed survey, there are fewer than 3,000 sea otters in California waters.

This small population is vulnerable to oil spills, environmental pollution, predation by white sharks and other threats.

Many sea otter deaths have been linked to pollution flowing from land to the sea, including fecal parasites, bacterial toxins, road and agricultural run-off, and chemicals linked to coastal land use.

According to CDFW Wildlife Veterinarian and lead sea otter pathologist Melissa Miller, the California Sea Otter Fund provides essential funding to help state scientists better understand and trace the causes of sea otter mortality, identify factors limiting population growth and collaborate with other organizations to prevent the pollution of California's nearshore marine ecosystem. This fund consists entirely of voluntary contributions from taxpayers of the state of California.

The California Sea Otter Fund has become especially vital during the current economic downturn, because other sources of support for sea otter conservation and research have decreased or disappeared entirely. There are no other dedicated state funding sources available to continue this important work.

You can support this research by making a contribution on line 410 of your state tax form 540, the California Sea Otter Fund. CDFW works with the California Coastal Conservancy, Friends of the Sea Otter, Defenders of Wildlife and others to promote the Sea Otter Fund. Visit the Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/taxcheck and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SeaOtterFundCDFW .