LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The holiday season has ended and a new wave of animals has begun to arrive at rescues groups and animal shelters: Christmas present pets that weren’t such a good idea after all.

And dogs breed all year round, unlike cats, so rescuers and shelters continuously get puppies. The abundance of rejected pets is a huge dilemma for rescuers – who gets saved?

Lake County Animal Services (LCAS), a private nonprofit rescue group that helps families find the right dog at the right time, currently has more than 20 puppies in foster homes.

One litter of five Chihuahua mix puppies came from a backyard breeder, and the puppies contracted the potentially fatal canine disease, parvovirus.

The breeder was in a huge hurry to dump the very sick dogs on anyone. LCAS took them into their care, providing round the clock treatment, and three of the puppies survived.

The second litter, five dachshund/Chihuahua puppies, was rescued from a notorious puppy mill operator.

When rescued, they were listless, overstressed and reluctant to eat, and they lapped up
water as if they'd never seen it before.

A week later, these puppies are balls of energy with shiny coats, tearing around their foster home, overjoyed to be safe and loved.

This Saturday, Jan. 5, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., those puppies will be in Petaluma at the Pet Food Express store in the Washington Square shopping center.

Also in attendance will be two dark chocolate-colored, dachshund mix puppies; two white and fawn American bulldog mix puppies; three blue heeler mix puppies, some beautiful adult dogs from LCAS foster homes; and some doggy residents of the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter will be released from their concrete and wire kennels for the day, looking for love.

If you can't make it to the event, check out the listing of available animals at http://LakeCountyAnimalServices.org .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Four Lake County middle school girls basketball teams traveled to Crescent City last month to compete in the 2012 Crescent City Jaycees Eighth Grade Girls Basketball Tournament.

Teams from throughout Northern California and Oregon look forward to this annual competition as a highlight of their eighth grade year.

Representing Lake County were Middletown (fifth seed) and Kelseyville (eighth seed) in AAA, Terrace from Lakeport (fifth seed) in AA Division and Upper Lake (third seed) in the B Division.

This is the first year that a Middletown Broncos have been placed in the highest AAA Division. This current Broncos team has not lost a school-league game yet at the middle school level, winning all their games and the championship as seventh graders, and going undefeated so far in 2012-13 at the eighth grade level.

Middletown lost in the first round to the eventual AAA Division winner Toddy Thomas, and then won in a close three-point game against Kelseyville in the consolation bracket. Middletown went on to lose 40-33 to Zane to claim sixth place.

Caitlin Lemoine from the Broncos was named an All Tourney Player in Division AAA

Kelseyville uncharacteristically lost all three of their games, falling to Saint Bernard’s Blue (fourth place finisher) in the first round, to Middletown in the consolation round, and then to Fortuna – falling to eighth spot.

Terrace lost a three-point squeaker against Coastal Grove in the first round and then beat the Crescent Elk A’s by seven before losing to Fortuna to take sixth place in AA Division.

Upper Lake won big 41-16 over Crescent Elk B in their first round, moving to the championship bracket.

They lost a close one-point game to Trinidad in the quarter-finals, and then came back to beat Saint Bernards White for third place overall in the B Division.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Taylor Observatory-Norton Planetarium will wrap up its seasonal presentations of “The Mystery of the Christmas Star” this weekend.

The shows will take place at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5, and 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 6.

Journey back 2,000 years to Bethlehem as they seek to discover which ancient star was the one the wise men followed to find the baby Jesus.

This modern retelling of the Christmas story also investigates possible dates for the birth of Christ and looks at recorded sightings of significant astronomical events during this important time in history.

What signs in the sky could have been so intriguing as to cause the wise men to cross a desert in search of the newborn King?

“Mystery of the Christmas Star” will answer all of these questions and more, while charming audiences of all ages.

Ticket prices are $5 for adults and $3 for children under age 12.

For more information, visit www.taylorobservatory.org and check its “Planetarium Programs and Movies Page.”

The Taylor Observatory-Norton Planetarium is located at 5725 Oak Hills Lane, Kelseyville.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Soper-Reese Community Theatre’s Classic Movie Series will feature “Treasure Island” on Tuesday, Jan. 8.

The film will be shown at the Soper-Reese Community Theatre, 275 St. Main St. in Lakeport. Donations are gratefully accepted.

The doors open at 5:30 p.m. with the film starting at 6 p.m.

The 1950 Walt Disney classic – and its first all live-action feature – is an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s famed novel, with Robert Newton starring as Long John Silver and Bobby Driscoll as Jim Hawkins.

Through the generosity of the Lakeport Rotary, the theater was able to acquire a 20-foot diagonal drop down screen and a quality projector to go along with its state-of-the-art sound system.

Popcorn, candy, soda, water and coffee will be available for purchase.

The Classic Movie Series runs on the second Tuesday of every month.  

The Soper-Reese Community Theatre is a restored, historic, performing arts venue established in 1949 and seating 300 patrons.

Check the theater's Web site, www.soperreesetheatre.com , or call 707-263-0577 to see what other classics are coming up.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Soroptimist International of Clear Lake members are busy working on plans for the annual Spring Fling fundraiser, scheduled for Saturday, March 2.

The group encourages everyone to save the date for this special event as there is limited space and tickets go fast.

Guest speaker for the yearly event is Christine Pelosi, attorney, author and activist, who has a lifetime of grassroots organizing and public policy experience.

She will speak on a topic that is one of the key concerns of Soroptimist International clubs throughout the world: “How Human Trafficking affects Women and Girls.”

The Spring Fling luncheon takes place at the Highlands Senior Center, 3245 Bowers Ave. in Clearlake.

It includes a silent auction, live auction and the famous dessert bar of homemade delicious desserts make by Soroptimist members.

Tickets are $35 and to have a reservation/ticket held for you contact local Soroptimist President Wanda Harris at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-987-9027.

Soroptimist is a term that means “Best For Women” and the objective of the group is to promote the advancement of women through volunteer service to the community and to serve as a global voice on issues of importance to women.

Soroptimist International Clear Lake is part of Soroptimist International of the Americas and is open to all women.

For more information about membership in the group contact the numbers above.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The South Lake County Fire Protection District will host a blood drive at the Middletown Fire Department from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 5.

The blood drive will take place in the fire station meeting room, 21095 Highway 175.

It’s part of the annual Bucket Brigade Challenge to benefit Blood Centers of the Pacific.

To make an appointment, visit www.bloodheroes.com or call 888-393-GIVE (4483).

Blood Centers of the Pacific (formerly Blood Bank of the Redwoods) supports more than 45 hospitals in Northern California including all hospitals in Sonoma, Lake and Mendocino counties.