LUCERNE, Calif. – A caregiver support group for families dealing with memory loss or other cognitive impairments will meet on Thursday, Jan. 17.

The group meets at the First Lutheran Church, 3863 Country Club Lane, across from the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Social worker Jenny Johnson is the facilitator.  

The groups are sponsored by Redwood Caregiver Resource Center (1-800-834-1636) and the Social Day Programs in Lake County.  

For more information call Jenny Johnson at 707-350-3030 or Caroline Denny at 707-263-9481.

Respite is provided by the centers at no charge.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Join the Taylor Observatory-Norton Planetarium on Saturday, Jan. 19, for “The Grand Tour: 35 Years of Discovery.”

The presentation will take place from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. at the observatory, 5725 Oak Hills Lane, Kelseyville.

Learn about the Voyager spacecrafts as Taylor Observatory’s high school docent, Eduardo Allatorre, presents the discoveries by these spacecraft, from 1977 to today.

Lake County’s Window to the Universe is held on the third Saturday of each month.

The evening’s event includes a science topic presentation, a planetarium experience and astronomical viewing.

Public events are held regardless of weather. Please dress accordingly. Suggested donation is $5 per Adult and $3 per child under 12 yrs.

For more information, visit www.taylorobservatory.org or call 707-262-4121 and leave a message. Your call will be returned usually within 24 hours.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 88 of Lake County, will meet on Saturday, Jan. 26.

The meeting will take place at 10 a.m. at the Konocti Bay Sailing Club building, located at Braito’s Marina at the end of the Buckingham Peninsula in Kelseyville.

The meeting is open to anyone 17 years or older who is interested in joining this active group.

For additional information, call the Flotilla’s information line at 707-513-5122.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Beginning in January, free tax preparation assistance is available in Lake County.

Low- to moderate-income households who earned up to $50,000 last year will be able to receive free tax preparation assistance through the Earn It! Keep It! Save It! (EKS) program.

Volunteer EKS tax preparers are IRS-certified, and experts in ensuring clients claim the tax credits they are eligible to receive.

Earn It! Keep It! Save It! (EKS) is a United Way led coalition of organizations in Sonoma, Lake, and Mendocino counties that have come together to offer FREE tax assistance at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites.

Each of these partner organizations offers a unique set of services in addition to serving as a VITA site during tax season. EKS has now expanded to include over 20 organizations located within the three counties.

Through the work of dedicated volunteers, $2.4 million in refunds were brought back to the local communities in 2012, with an average refund amount of $1,800.

Lake County sites include Lake County Family Resource Centers in Clearlake and Lakeport.

Call 707-279-0563 for Lake County information and appointments.

As many regions across Northern and Central California are bracing for possible snow, rain, and cold temperatures over the next few months, AAA Northern California urges motorists to get their vehicles ready and refresh their winter driving skills.

“Although summer auto crashes are more often fatal, fall and winter have the highest number of weather-related crashes, deaths and injuries,” reports Cynthia Harris, AAA Northern California spokesperson. “The combination of poorly maintained vehicles and driver error, along with loss of visibility and slick roads, causes thousands of preventable crashes each year.”

Preparing your vehicle is the first step in improving your chances of safe winter driving. There are many ways to winterize your car.

• Check the systems. Make sure your brakes, defroster, heater, exhaust system, and lights work properly. Change the blades in your wipers and check the level and condition of the antifreeze.
• Inspect the tires. Good tread allows the water to escape from under the tires and increases traction. Keep tires at proper pressure. Low pressure allows the tread to squeeze together and reduces traction. Too-high pressure prevents the tread from contacting the road thoroughly.
• Keep a full gas tank. In winter it may become necessary to change routes, idle for long periods of time, travel slowly, or turn around in a storm. A full gas tank allows you to do these maneuvers without worrying about running out of fuel.
• Keep the windshield and windows clear. Have a snow brush and ice scraper in the vehicle. Clean off the roof of the vehicle and the windows. Use the car’s defroster or a clean cloth to “defog” the inside of the windows.
• Carry an emergency kit and your AAA card. Items to include in the kit are a flashlight, first-aid kit, flares or emergency triangles, window washer fluid, tool kit, blanket or sleeping bag, gloves, paper towels, drinking water, and extra food. Also include abrasive material such as sand, salt or non-clumping cat litter, and a small shovel to free the vehicle if it becomes stuck.
• Include chains. Remember, chains must be installed on the “drive” wheels of the vehicle.
• Carry an extra car key. Many motorists lock themselves out of their vehicles when installing chains or attending to weather-related problems.
• It’s not enough to prepare your vehicle for winter. Brush up on these tips for adapting your driving techniques for winter weather conditions.
• Adjust your speed for the weather. SLOW DOWN. Keep in mind that your vehicle needs at least three times more distance to stop on slick roads.
• Increase your following distance. To safely stop, a vehicle needs a minimum of four to eight seconds between it and the vehicle in front.
• Be alert. Learn to “read” road conditions to anticipate a hazard in time to react safely. Bridges, overpasses, and shaded spots are a special danger because ice often forms first in these areas.
• Steer clear of collisions. Learn to take evasive action by steering around a situation to avoid collisions. Steering is preferred to braking at speeds above 25 mph because less distance is required to steer around an object than to brake to a stop. In winter weather, sudden braking often leads to skids.
• Recognize hydroplaning hazards. Even a small amount of water on the road can cause a vehicle to hydroplane. One-twelfth of an inch of water between your tires and the road means each tire has to displace one gallon of water a second. To reduce the chances of hydroplaning slow down, avoid hard braking or sharp turns, drive in the tracks of the vehicle ahead of you, and increase your following distance.
• React to trouble quickly. If you are in trouble, pull completely off to the side of the road, turn on the hazard lights, light flares or place emergency triangles, signal for help, and stay in the vehicle with your seatbelt on. Call for help on a cell phone. Remember to keep your AAA card handy for these types of emergencies.

It’s also important to know how to drive in the fog. Visibility in fog can deteriorate in a moment. The rapid loss of visibility creates serious driving hazards.

The following are specific driving tips for fog.

• Drive with lights on low beam.
• Reduce speed.
• Listen for traffic you cannot see. Open windows if necessary.
• Use wipers and defroster for maximum visibility.
• Be patient! Don’t switch lanes unnecessarily.
• Unless absolutely necessary, don’t stop on any freeway or other heavily traveled road.
• If possible, postpone your trip until the fog has lifted.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Planning Commission will hold its next meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 16.

The meeting will begin at 5 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

Consent agenda items include approval of the minutes from the regular meeting on Nov. 14.

The main item on the agenda is the review and discussion of the 2012 year-end report summarizing land use applications and code enforcement activities.

The commission also will discuss and set the next meeting date for March 13.