LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Grab your lawn chairs, preferably ones that allow you to recline.

The Leonid meteor shower begins late in the evening of Monday, Nov. 17, and continues into the morning of Tuesday, Nov. 18.

The best place to watch is from a dark location. Try to look at a broad expanse of night sky, since the meteors will appear to come from many different directions.

The origin of the Leonids is from the constellation Leo the Lion. Leo rises after midnight, and by 3 a.m. is visible in the eastern morning sky.

There should be an average of 10 to 15 meteors per hour.

The Leonids shower is caused by the earth passing through the dust and debris left by comet Tempel-Tuttle.

While you are looking for meteors in the wee hours of the morning, the planet Jupiter will become visible in the east near Leo around 2 a.m. It’s the brightest object in the night sky next to the moon.

If staying up late to see a meteor shower just isn’t your thing, there is more to see in November in the evening.

Perseus is a beautiful constellation visible in the northern part of the sky.

Perseus was a hero in Greek mythology who beheaded the monster Medusa and saved the beautiful princess Andromeda.

Perseus has one of the night sky’s most glorious objects, the Double Cluster. Our star chart shows the location of this object.

The Double Cluster is two star clusters visible at low power in a telescope.

Both clusters are approaching the earth at a speed of 24 miles per second.

But fear not! At a distance of 7,500 light years, it would take millions of years before the clusters enveloped the Earth.

John Zimmerman is a resident of Lake County, Calif., and has been an amateur astronomer for more than 50 years. For more information about astronomy and local resources, visit his Web site at www.lakecountyskies.com .

Leaving an inheritance outright to a minor raises various concerns.

Let us consider some important concerns and possible solutions.

A frequent concern is that anything left to a minor may be taken away and used by a self-serving parent.

For example, consider a couple who names their now single daughter’s children as alternative death beneficiaries should the daughter not be alive to inherit.

The daughter’s parents are concerned that their ex-son in law, whom they distrust with good reason, will do his best to get control over any inheritances that pass to his children (from the grandparents).

How can this be prevented?

The best way to prevent this is to provide that the grandchildren’s inheritances will be held in further trust, or else, if the amount is relatively modest, be held at a bank in a custodial account, under the control of a trustworthy relative, friend, or private fiduciary as trustee or custodian, as relevant. 

In the example, this would protect the inheritance against the grandchildren’s predatory father.

Another concern is that anything left to a minor will be wasted or abused by the minor as soon as he or she get their hands on it.

Leaving the assets in trust with express goals and uses allows the trust to purposefully further worthwhile goals.

For example, the trust may allow the trustee to pay for the child’s college tuition, room and board and perhaps a stipend so long as the beneficiary maintains at least a “B” average and carries a full course load.

The trust encourages the beneficiary to pursue college but prevents him or her from becoming lazy and uninterested in his or her own responsibilities.

Further concerns are “when”, “how” and even “if” the minor receive outright inheritance distributions.

Should inheritances be distributed in stages or all at once upon attaining a certain age? At what age should distributions occur?

There is no single answer. Some trusts distribute everything once the beneficiary attains a certain age (say, 21 or 25), others distribute in stages (e.g., a third at age 21, half at age 25, and the rest at age 30), and still other trusts hold everything in trust for the beneficiary’s lifetime.

Trusts that hold assets up to the beneficiary’s entire lifetime are usually discretionary trusts created to protect the assets from creditors.

Discretionary trusts give the trustee absolute discretion over if, when and how assets should be used for the beneficiary’s benefit.

Special needs trusts, for example, are completely discretionary trusts. The trustee may, but does not have to, use the assets to pay for the comforts of life that are not provided for by welfare benefits (SSI and Medi-Cal) while preserving eligibility for such needs based benefits.

Other discretionary trusts serve simply to protect the assets against the beneficiary’s own creditors. If the beneficiary cannot demand distribution of the assets then neither can his or her own creditors (limited special exceptions, including one for the unpaid child support owed by the beneficiary).

Such discretionary trusts allow the trustee to make purchases and payments on behalf of the beneficiary without directly depositing money into the beneficiary's own account, where creditors can get at it.

Lastly, what if minors depend on their parent’s or guardian’s estate being kept intact – instead of sold and divided – how can they be protected when their parent dies?

A so-called “family pot trust” allows the trustee to keep the parents’ estate undivided in order to provide any dependent children with a home.

Once the last dependent has reached a milestone (usually age 21 or 25) then the trust assets are sold, and typically divided equally amongst the adult children.

Dennis A. Fordham, attorney (LL.M. tax studies), is a State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law. His office is at 870 S. Main St., Lakeport, California. Fordham can be reached by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at 707-263-3235. Visit his Web site at www.dennisfordhamlaw.com .

While there continue to be no reported or confirmed cases of Ebola in California, State Health Officer and California Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ron Chapman took action on Wednesday to help prevent any potential spread of the disease in the state by issuing a quarantine order and associated guidelines that require counties to individually assess persons at risk for Ebola and tailor an appropriate level of quarantine as needed.

This flexible, case-by-case approach will ensure that local health officers throughout the state prevent spread of the disease, while ensuring that individuals at risk for Ebola are treated fairly and consistently.

“Today we’re establishing a statewide, standard protocol requiring some level of quarantine for those at highest risk of contracting and spreading Ebola,” said Dr. Chapman. “This order will protect the health and safety of Californians and support the state’s local health officers’ existing authority to develop protections against disease spread.”

The order, which applies to anyone traveling to California who has 1) traveled to California from an Ebola affected area; and 2) has had contact with someone who has a confirmed case of Ebola, requires those travelers to be quarantined for 21 days.

A person traveling to this region that has not come into contact with a person with Ebola will not be subject to quarantine.

An Ebola-affected area is one determined as an active area by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which currently includes Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Local County health officers will issue quarantine orders for individuals and establish limitations of quarantine on a case-by-case basis. These limitations will be based on new guidance also released Wednesday by CDPH.

This “Guidance for the Evaluation and Management of Contacts to Ebola Virus Disease” outlines quarantine limitations that local health officers should take based on the level of Ebola risk to which individuals were exposed.

Although quarantine can involve isolation at home, it may be tailored to allow for greater movement of individuals who are deemed to be at lower risk.

“Not everyone who has been to an Ebola affected area should be considered high risk,” Dr. Chapman said. “This order will allow local health officers to determine, for those coming into California, who is most at risk for developing this disease, and to contain any potential spread of infectious disease by responding to those risks appropriately.”

In California, local health officers currently have the authority to order quarantine of people who may have an infectious disease that threatens public health. This order will ensure consistent application across the state of quarantine for high risk individuals in order to control risks from Ebola.

California is home to many health care workers who have selflessly volunteered to help combat the current Ebola epidemic in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. These individuals are engaged in stemming this epidemic at its source through a range of activities, from direct care of confirmed Ebola patients to health education of the general population.

California also is receiving residents returning from travel to these three countries as well as visitors from this region.

“Health care workers who go to Ebola affected countries to treat patients are great humanitarians. They will be treated with respect and dignity when they come home as these important public health actions are taken,” said Dr. Chapman. “We value those who volunteer to help those in need, and appreciate their willingness to serve.”

Wednesday's order is available on the CDPH Web site, www.cdph.ca.gov , as is the guidance to local health officers for implementing the order.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Central Valley, from Red Bluff through Bakersfield, is part of the 4,000-mile Pacific Flyway, the route taken by migrating birds from Alaska to Patagonia (at the southern end of South America).

This time of year our local region gets visited by a huge influx of Aleutian Geese, snow geese, white fronted geese, and bufflehead and northern pintails ducks, to name just a few, so this is the best time to grab your cameras and head out to your local wetlands areas.

The Pacific Flyway contains 60 percent of the habitat critical to wintering waterfowl in the region – and our area is ranked No. 2 on the list of the 25 most important and threatened waterfowl habitats in the entire continent.

So, being able to see these magnificent birds is a real treat and everyone should take advantage of the opportunity to see them.

Other migratory birds seen around this time of year include the American Wigeon, cinnamon teal ducks, canvasback ducks, and the American Coot.

Keep in mind, too, that the Berryessa Snow Mountain region is home to the second largest wintering population of bald eagles in the country.

Snow geese (Chen caerulescens) are sometimes also referred to as “blue geese” because there are two color morphs: the all-white version, and a blue-gray version.

It is the white morph that is most common in this region. They’re easily identifiable: an all-white body and wings with black wing tips. They also have rosy feet and legs, and pink bills with black tomia (the cutting edges of the bill).

Snow geese fly, eat and nest in large gatherings, and their numbers are on the rise (increasing about 5 percent each year according to some studies). They like to forage on fall grain – including wheat and rice – when they can find it.

The white-fronted goose (Anser albifrons) is another species of goose that winters here in our area in large numbers.

Unlike the white snow goose, the white-fronted goose is grayish brown with a speckled chest and a patch of light (usually white) feathers that borders the base of its bills.

They have bright orange legs and feet, and their bills are orange as well. White-fronted geese populations are affected greatly by weather conditions in their Arctic nesting areas.

If it stays cold for too long, or there’s a sudden spring snow storm, the hatcheries can suffer great losses. Still, in 2010 their populations numbered between 600,000 and 700,000 individuals. These geese prefer a diet of grains, seeds, grasses and berries.

Buffleheads (Bucephala albeola) are small sea ducks with golden-yellow eyes. Females are gray are a white patch behind the eye, but the males are especially striking: black and white overall with a shiny iridescent purple and green head and large white blotch behind the eyes. When they puff out their head feathers, their “buffalo”-like heads take on a very distinct oddly bulbous shape.

Oddly enough, too, buffleheads evolved over time into their smaller size so they could fit into their favorite nesting cavities: the nesting holes made by northern flickers.

In ecological circles this ability to benefit from a host without affecting the host is called a “metabiotic” relationship. Buffleheads are “diving” ducks, and usually forage on whatever insects, aquatic plants and fish eggs they can find.

The pintail (Anas acuta) is a species of duck with a very large range (including Europe, Asia and the United States). These ducks are larger than the buffleheads, but like the male buffleheads the male pintails are very handsome.

Their chocolate-colored heads have a bright white strip running down them from the back of the head to the chest, and the male’s central tail feathers are especially elongated (giving rise to its name “pintail”).

The male pintails also whistle – which is almost flute-like – while the drab-colored females have a harsh quack. Both males and females have gray legs and feet, and their bills are blue-gray. Like all dabbling ducks, pintails feed on plants and invertebrates in the water.

You can see many of these birds at your local wetland/wildlife preserves including the Cache Creek Nature Preserve, the Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, the Sacramento National Wildlife Preserve and the Cosumnes River Preserve.

Bring your binoculars, spotting scopes and cameras and take lots of photos while the migration season lasts.

Tuleyome Tales is a monthly publication of Tuleyome, a nonprofit conservation organization based in Woodland and Napa, Calif. For more information about Tuleyome go to www.tuleyome.org . Mary K. Hanson is an amateur naturalist and photographer and author of The Chubby Woman’s Walkabout blog.

As the European Space Agency prepares to drop a lander on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko on Nov. 12th, the comet is showing signs of increased activity.

Images of the comet nucleus, taken by Rosetta earlier in the summer, showed that the distinct jets of dust and gas emanating from the comet were originated from the neck region, which connects the comet's two lobes. Images obtained by OSIRIS (Rosetta's Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System) now show jets of dust along almost the entire length of the comet.

Rosetta and comet 67P are still more than 280 million miles (450 million kilometers) from the sun.

Based on a rich history of ground-based observations, scientists have been expecting the comet's activity to pick up noticeably once it comes within 186 million miles (300 million kilometers).

On Nov. 12, the Rosetta spacecraft will release its Philae lander at 3:03 a.m. EST / 1:03 a.m. PST (Earth Receive Time).

Touchdown of Philae on Site J is expected about seven hours later, at around 11 a.m. EST / 8 a.m. PST.

Rosetta is the first mission to attempt a soft landing on a comet.

While 67P's overall activity is clearly increasing, the mission's designated landing site, "J," located on the head of the comet, still seems to be rather quiet.

However, there is some indication that new active areas are waking up about half a mile (one kilometer) from J. These will allow the lander's instruments to study the comet's activity from an even closer distance.

Launched in March 2004, Rosetta was reactivated in January 2014 after a record 957 days in hibernation.

Composed of an orbiter and lander, Rosetta's objectives since arriving at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko earlier this month have been to study the celestial object up close in unprecedented detail, prepare for landing a probe on the comet's nucleus in November and, following the landing, track the comet's changes as it sweeps past the sun.

Rosetta is a European Space Agency mission with contributions from its member states and NASA. Rosetta's Philae lander is provided by a consortium led by the German Aerospace Center, Cologne; Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Gottingen; National Center of Space Studies of France, Paris; and the Italian Space Agency, Rome. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, a division of the California Institute of Technology, manages the U.S. participation in the Rosetta mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate in Washington.

Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

THE GEYSERS, Calif. – A Tuesday night earthquake was reported near the Geysers geothermal steamfield.

The 3.6-magnitude quake reported at 9:36 p.m. Tuesday, according to the US Geological Survey.

The quake's epicenter was one mile north northwest of The Geysers and 13 miles southwest of Clearlake, the survey reported. It was recorded at a depth of 1.2 miles.

The US Geological Survey received shake reports from around Lake County – including Kelseyville and Middletown – as well as the Bay Area and the North Coast.

Shake reports came from as far away as Rio Dell, the agency said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Organizers already are at work, preparing for Clearlake's annual Christmas celebration.

The event, featuring the city's popular parade, begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.

The parade leads from Redbud Park to Austin Park on Lakeshore Drive.

This year's theme is “Jingle Bells” and participants of all ages are being sought.

Trophies will be awarded to the top three entries.

Participants are prohibited from throwing candy and other treats into the crowd; however, walkers may hand items to spectators. Those taking part also must adhere to other safety precautions.

The parade will culminate with the annual tree lighting ceremony at Austin Park, where Santa and Mrs. Claus will be waiting to take pictures with all the children.

Photos will be available for purchase will all proceeds supporting area foster care programs.

Entry forms are available at Clearlake City Hall and Four Corners Building Supply.

There is no cost to participate.

For more information, contact Vicki Leonard at 707-994-5922.

Email Denise Rockenstein at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LUCERNE, Calif. – This year's “Make A Difference Day” – held on Saturday, Oct. 25 – had a new feature, a volunteer fair.

On that afternoon, organizations gathered at Marymount California University in Lucerne to provide information on volunteering opportunities as well as raise public awareness of their missions.

Donations for the “stuff a bus” food collection effort also were accepted at the fair.

Organizers said they exceeded expectations for turnout.

Check out the video above for a sampling of the event.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A man convicted last month of ramming a Clearlake Police officer with a vehicle was sentenced on Tuesday to more than 100 years in state prison.

Judge Andrew Blum gave Daniel Alan York, 54, a sentence of 96 years to life, plus 25 years determinate as specified by statute, for a total of 121 years to life, according to Senior Deputy District Attorney Art Grothe.

Last month a jury convicted York of five felonies charges, including assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest, hit and run causing injury, vandalism and auto theft with a prior conviction, plus the jury found true special allegations of great bodily injury on all of those five counts.

The jury deadlocked on an attempted murder count that later was dismissed, as Lake County News has reported.

A lengthy, three-decade criminal record that included drug, weapons, vehicle theft and other convictions across Lake, Nevada and Sonoma counties resulted in Judge Blum also finding that York had prior serious or violent felonies and seven prior prison terms.

York was convicted of ramming an SUV into Clearlake Police Officer Tom Riley at Redbud Park on the morning of Sept. 22, 2013.

Riley suffered serious injuries – including a fractured spine, broken ribs, and head and neck lacerations, police reported – and was flown out to a regional trauma center for treatment.

York fled the scene and was arrested later that day.

York's sentencing originally had been scheduled for Oct. 20. However, on that day, York appeared in court with a handwritten motion for a new trial and made an attempt to fire his trial defense attorney, Barry Melton.

The result was that the court had to consider the new trial motion, which took place on Oct. 20, continued the following day and then was continued to Tuesday.

The breakdown of the sentence York received includes 27 years to life plus 22 years for assault on an officer; 25 years to life plus 22 years on the count of threatening an officer, which was stayed since it was considered as the same as the assault on an officer; hit and run with injury, 25 years to life, plus 22 years; 25 years for felony vandalism; and 25 years for auto theft with a prior, Grothe said.

Grothe said the vandalism and auto theft counts will run concurrent to each other, but consecutive to all other counts.

Melton told Lake County News that York intends to appeal the decision.

“I'll be filing an appeal on his behalf,” Melton said Tuesday afternoon.

Melton noted that York's was a “relatively lengthy trial.” A number of issues were presented during trial and sentencing which will be the basis of York's appeal, he said.

“This is the last word on the case for the time being from the superior court,” Melton said, adding, “The whole matter will be reviewed.”

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

With Daylight Savings Time set to end on Sunday, Cal Fire is once again encouraging Californians to check that smoke alarms are in working order.

Daylight Savings Time this year ends at 2 a.m. Sunday. Cal Fire typically issues the smoke alarm reminders in the spring and fall, when the time changes occur.

Nearly two-thirds of home fire deaths result from fires in homes with no working smoke alarms.

To help reduce your chances of becoming a victim, Cal Fire is reminding all Californians to make sure they have working smoke alarms in their homes.

A little attention to these devices goes a long way to increasing your chance of surviving a devastating fire, the agency said.

“When a fire strikes, a working smoke alarm gives you that valuable warning that could save your life,” advises State Fire Marshal Tonya Hoover.

Smoke alarm safety tips:

– Place properly installed and maintained smoke alarms both inside and outside of sleeping areas and on every level of your home.
– Interconnected smoke alarms are best, because if one sounds, they all sound.
– Get smoke alarms that can sound fast to all types of fires. Cal Fire recommends that every residence and place where people sleep be equipped with ionization and photoelectric smoke alarms or dual sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors.
– Inspect, test and clean smoke alarms and change alkaline batteries at least once every year, or when the alarm signals (“chirps”) the end of the battery life. You can use a date you already know, like your birthday or when you change your clocks as a reminder.
– Follow manufacturer’s instructions if you have a 10-year smoke alarm which uses a long-life lithium battery.
– Never paint over a smoke alarm.
– Replace your smoke alarm at least every 10 years.
– Practice exit drills so everyone understands what to do when they hear a smoke alarm.

Keep your smoke alarm working. Cal Fire urged residents to never remove the batteries from their smoke alarms.

For more information on smoke alarms, visit www.fire.ca.gov .

Costumes, jack-‘o-lanterns, A haunted house and scary ghost stories mark this time of year as all kids of all ages enjoy the spirit of Halloween. 

But if precautions aren’t taken, scary things can happen. Decorations that ignited are the reported cause in 900 home fires nationwide each year. Two of every five of those were started by a candle.

To make this day a fun and festive event, Cal Fire suggests following these few simple steps to ensure everyone stays safe.

Trick-or-treating

– Children should always go trick-or-treating with a responsible adult.
– Provide children with flashlights or glow sticks to carry for lighting and visibility.
– Review how to cross a street with your child.  Look left, right and left again to be sure no cars are approaching before crossing the street.
– If driving, be sure to watch for trick-or-treaters who are too busy to watch for you.
– Remind children to stay together as a group when walking from house to house.

Costumes
 
– Purchase costumes made of flame resistant or flame retardant. Fire resistant does not mean fireproof!
– Apply reflective tape to Halloween costumes.
– Masks can obstruct vision – consider using make-up instead.
– Avoid loose, baggy sleeves or billowing skirts.
– Keep hemlines short enough to prevent tripping.

Decorations

– Keep decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs and heaters.
– Light jack-‘o-lanterns with battery powered light – never use candles!
– Keep exits clear of decorations so nothing blocks escape routes.
– Remove objects from the yard that could present a tripping hazard (garden tools, hoses, etc.).

Remember to closely inspect all candy before allowing children to eat it, discarding any unwrapped treats from a stranger. If in doubt, throw it out.

Cal Fire wishes all Californians a safe and enjoyable Halloween.

For more Halloween fire safety ideas and tips, please visit the Cal Fire Web site at www.fire.ca.gov .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – There will be plenty of “boo” factor around Lake County this Friday as residents of all ages celebrate Halloween.

New events and longtime favorites will be offered in all corners in the county – from the Lakeport Kiwanis' 33-year tradition of fun for youngsters to the new “Trunk or Treat” event that had its big debut last year in Clearlake and returns this year.

A list of events follows. If you know of an event that should be included, email it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

THURSDAY, OCT. 30

Toles Family Haunted House

COBB – Jellystone RV Park and Camp Resort at Cobb Mountain, located at 14117 Bottle Rock Road, will present the Toles Family Haunted House from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Call 866-928-4322 for more information.

'A Scary Night Under the Stars'

KELSEYVILLE – “A Scary Night Under the Stars” will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Taylor Observatory, located at 5725 Oak Hills Lane.

See their digital theater show “Spook-tacular” in the full dome planetarium every hour on the half hour.

View deep sky objects through their telescopes.

Costumes are encouraged to engage in the spirit of Halloween. Join in the children's costume contest at 7:15 p.m.

Children under 12 years of age will receive a treat bag.

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

For more information, call 707-995-0339.

'The Monster Hunters'

MIDDLETOWN – The Middletown Middle School Drama Club will present “The Monster Hunters” at 7 p.m. in the multi-use room at the school, 20932 Big Canyon Road.

The cost is $3 per person or $10 per family.

FRIDAY, OCT. 31

Downtown Lakeport Halloween celebration

LAKEPORT – The Lakeport Main Street Association invites families to enjoy a safe and fun Halloween on Main Street on Friday.

The free event – which takes place rain or shine – will begin at 12:30 p.m. with the Halloween Children's Parade down Main Street.

More than 30 Lakeport stores will open their doors to trick-or-treating youngsters in costume. Look for the pumpkin posted in local business on and off Main Street for participating merchants.

Trick or Treat Main Street follows from 2 to 4 p.m., with local elementary schools planning to release the little ghosts and goblins from school early at 2:15 p.m.

The fun concludes at 4 p.m. with a costume contest hosted by Your One Stop Party Shop and Lakeside Family Fun Center on Museum Square.

There will be prizes awarded for first, second and third place winners of each age category and Family category.

Clearlake 'Trunk or Treat'

CLEARLAKE – The second annual Trunk or Treat event at the Clearlake Youth Center and Redbud Park will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. on Halloween.

At the free event you'll find food, Halloween games and activities, a bouncy house, a haunted house, live music from Borrowed Time and an assortment of decorated trunks handing out candy to those that attend. 

This year, Lake County Youth Services will start the event with a parade beginning at 4:30 p.m. and originating from Highlands Park on Lakeshore Drive and moving toward the youth center.

At 6:30 p.m. they will start the Halloween costume contests.

If you are interested in having a booth with activities or having a decorated trunk to hand out candy from, please contact Bruno Sabatier at 707-695-0834 or Ami Landrum at 707-350-7419. 

Any and all donations are greatly appreciated. 

If you want to help with this event, please contact Joyce Overton, the director of the Clearlake Youth Center, at 707-994-KIDS.

Visit the event's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/trunkortreatclearlake .

Great Monster Mash Halloween Bash

LAKEPORT – The Lakeport Senior Activity Center will host its “Great Monster Mash Halloween Bash” on Friday.

The bash will take place from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the center, located at 527 Konocti Ave.

The evening will feature music by The High Notes, a costume contest, taco bar buffet, no-host full bar and raffle prizes.

Special guest a Capella group “EarReverence” and the fun antics of “Flipper” will add to the atmosphere.

Tickets cost $15 per person and benefit the Meals on Wheels program for Lakeport and Kelseyville areas so that no senior goes hungry.

For more information call the center at 707-263-4218.

Lake County Animal Coalition annual costume dinner dance

CLEARLAKE OAKS – The Lake County Animal Coalition's annual costume dinner dance will be held on Friday.

The event will be held at the Clearlake Oaks Moose Lodge, 15900 E. Highway 20.

No host cocktails begin at 5 p.m., with dinner at 6 p.m.

Dancing to Twice As Good starts at 7 p.m.

There will be raffles, live auctions, a costume contest and a silent auction.

Tickets are $20 per person and are available at From Me 2 U, The Spot, Lakeshore Feed and Grain and Clearlake Veterinary Clinic.

Lucerne Community Church Halloween trunk or treat party

LUCERNE – Lucerne Community Church will host its second annual “Trunk or Treat party from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the church parking lot, 5870 East Highway 20.

People of all ages are welcome.

There will lots of candy, face painting and games.

For more information call 707-274-8326.

Orchard Park Halloween House, trick or treat

CLEARLAKE – Orchard Park Assisted Living & Memory Care, 14789 Burns Valley Road, will host a free and safe trick or treat event for the children from 6 to 8  p.m.

They will offer refreshments, movies in the living room and door-to-door trick or treating throughout their community.

Toles Family Haunted House

COBB – Jellystone RV Park and Camp Resort at Cobb Mountain, located at 14117 Bottle Rock Road, will present the Toles Family Haunted House from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The haunted house also will be presented the same hours on Saturday, Nov. 1, and Sunday, Nov. 2.

Call 866-928-4322 for more information.

Lakeport Kiwanis Halloween party

LAKEPORT – The Kiwanis of Lakeport will host its 33rd annual Halloween party for the community's children from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Clear Lake High School gym, 350 Lange St.

Admission to the party is free.

Children up to age 13 are invited to come and enjoy a fun evening that includes games, candy, refreshments and prizes. At 7:15 p.m. a costume contest will take place.

The event is a safe way for children to celebrate Halloween.

Middletown Lioness Halloween Carnival

MIDDLETOWN – The Middletown Lioness club is having a free Halloween carnival from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Middletown Lions Club, 15399 Central Park Road.

Children will receive a ticket for a free hot dog; parents are able to purchase one for $1.

There will be popcorn, cotton candy and several activities for the children.

Lakeside Family Fun Center costume contest

LAKEPORT – Lakeside Family Fun & Event Center, 872 Lakeport Blvd., will host a costume contest.

Sign ups begin at 7 p.m.

Prizes – which include $50, $25 and $10 gift cards for first, second and third places, respectively – will be awarded at 9 p.m.

For more information, call the event center at 707-263-4828.

Running Creek Halloween Bash

UPPER LAKE – Running Creek Casino, 635 Highway 20, will host Halloween fun on Friday from 9 p.m. to midnight.

Check in and participate in up to seven different categories in the casino's costume contest. There will be prizes for the winners.

The evening will feature DJ Ruben Mora and karaoke, cash prizes, food and drink specials, and more.