Waddell, who has served 13 years as the community programs director in the Davis state office, assumed her duties Jan. 20, succeeding Ben Higgins’ resignation and subsequent move to California Rangeland Trust.

She was named to the post by USDA Rural Development Acting Under Secretary Douglas Falkner.

“We have a great team at USDA Rural Development, and I am proud to lead the effort to serve rural communities in the Golden State until a new successor is appointed,” said Waddell. “Significant progress has been made in fiscal year 2008 and my focus will be to keep that momentum going into 2009.”

Waddell, a 27-year USDA employee, has been the community programs director since 1996. She started her career at USDA as an assistant county supervisor in Georgia in 1982 for the Farmers Home Administration (FmHA). She also served as district loan specialist before assuming the program director position in the California state office.

USDA Rural Development's mission is to deliver programs in a way that will support increasing economic opportunity and improve the quality of life of rural residents by fostering growth in homeownership, business development, and critical community and technology infrastructure.

Further information on rural programs is available at one of California’s 18 local USDA Rural Development offices or by visiting www.rurdev.usda.gov/ca.

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NORTH COAST – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around Lake County during the coming week.

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

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 4 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

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from Wardlaw Street to 0.4 miles south of Hofacker Lane beginning Friday, Jan. 23. Work hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– PG&E of Ukiah been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility work at Gordon Lane on Friday, January 23, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Baxman Gravel Company of Fort Bragg has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to construct a road approach 0.1 miles north of Happy Lane beginning Monday, Jan. 26. Work hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 20

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from the Redwood Valley exit to the east entrance of the Lake Mendocino Recreation Area on Tuesday, Jan. 27, and Wednesday, Jan. 28, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 15-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, 7 days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

Highway 128

– AT&T of Walnut Creek has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility work from 1.4 to 2.5 miles east of Dry Creek Bridge. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

Highway 162

– A bridge widening project at Outlet Creek Bridge 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 – Viking Construction Co. Inc. of Rancho Cordova.

Highway 253

– A bridge widening project at Soda Creek Bridge 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 – Viking Construction Co. Inc. of Rancho Cordova.

– Comcast of Ukiah been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility work at Robinson Creek Road on Monday, Jan. 26, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Intermittent full road closures will be in effect.

Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.

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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A controlled burn at Quercus Ranch could be seen Wednesday around the lake. Photo by Harold La Bonte.

LAKE COUNTY – Residents around the county spotted smoke and ash in the Kelseyville and Cobb areas on Wednesday, but there was nothing to worry about because the conditions resulted from controlled burns.

Cal Fire spokesman Eric Hoffman said that a controlled burns took place in the Boggs Mountain State Forest, burning about 45 acres of understory.

Hoffman said the burn would continue on Thursday.

Another controlled fire, this one said to be an annual tule burning, took place at the Quercus Ranch on Soda Bay Road near Kelseyville. It was permitted by the Lake County Air Quality Management District and was scheduled only to take place on day, according to the Kelsyville Fire Protection District.

The second fire was responsible for smoke that blew out across the lake, said Hoffman.

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CLEARLAKE – The Lake County Democratic Central Committee will meet on Thursday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m. in the Redbud Library Community Room, 14785 Burns Valley Road in the City of Clearlake.

The group's guest will be Alexandra (Alex) Gallardo-Rooker, a candidate for the state party, female vice chair. She was elected second vice chair in 1997 and has served as first chair since 2001.'

A Mexico native, she has been active in state and national Democratic and labor organizations and earned many honors, including "Mentor of the Year" by California Young Democrats and "Influential Latina in Politics" by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Learn more about her at www.alexforcdp.com.

In March the group's meeting will start at 6 p.m. John Burton will be the guest. Burton is a former California Senate president pro-tem and a candidate for state party chair. His Web site is www.burton2009.com.

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

Contact the Democratic Party of Lake County at 707-263-4529 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The committee's Web site is www.lakecountydemocrats.org.

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CLEARLAKE OAKS – The Clearlake Oaks Moose Lodge will hold a crab feed on Saturday, Feb. 7.

The event will include all-you-can-eat salad, pasta and garlic bread, plus the main course – crab.

There will be one dinner seating, beginning at 5 p.m. Seating is limited to 200 people.

A live auction also will be held.

The cost is $35 per person.

For more information call 998-3740.

The Clearlake Oaks Moose Lodge is located at the intersection of Highways 20 and 53.

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Doors open at 6 p.m. and the first game begins at 6:30 pm. The bar and snack bar start serving at 6 p.m.; they offer hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos and an assortment of other treats.

Admission is $5 per person and it includes two bingo cards; extra cards are available for $2 each.

Bingo Night features 10 games, eight games of different style bingo for $20 pots and two blackouts with jackpots of $100 each.

This has become a very popular event, and the Lion invite community members to come and join the fun.

As with all Cobb Mountain Lion events, bingo is held at the Little Red School House at 15780 Bottle Rock Road on Cobb.

Call Toni DeHaven at 928-02258 or Jon Meyer at 928-5200 for details.

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