MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The first in a new tradition of quarterly contra dances will be held Saturday, June 9, at Armstrong Hall (home of Lake County Jazzercise) in Middletown.  

This dance will be led by Mavis McGaugh, an experienced contra caller from Berkeley.  

The live, old-time fiddle music will be provided by the Cobb Stompers, the Skelton crew and friends.

Contra dancing is a great low pressure and fun way to socialize.

If you are unfamiliar with contra dancing, it is somewhat similar to square dancing, but less formal.

There is no fancy footwork that you have to learn or memorize; you are led through each dance by the caller.  

Because it’s a social dance, you don’t need to arrive with a partner; in fact, most people don’t.

When you dance, you dance with a partner, but you also have many neighbors that you dance with too.

At the end of a dance, you say goodbye to your partner and get another one.

Armstrong Hall is located at 15642 Armstrong St. in Middletown, two blocks behind the post office.  

A lesson for beginners is at 6:30 pm and the dance runs from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Admission is $5 at the door.  

Please wear shoes that won’t harm the hardwood floor.  

Call 707-260-2900 for more information or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – The second annual Frank Toney and Jody Eyerly Memorial Poker Run and Barbecue will take place on Sunday, May 27.

The event will begin at 9 a.m. at 10551 E. Highway 20, with a tree planting and memorial stand.

Kickstands will go up at 11 a.m. across the highway from the Blue Fish Cove.

The ride's final destination will be the Clearlake Oaks Fire Station for the barbecue.

The price is $20 solo or $30 for two and up. For the barbecue only the cost is $6.

The poker run is sponsored by the Roughnecks Motorcycle Club, Redwood Chapter.

Vehicles of all kinds are allowed to participate in the run.

The route and designated stops around the lake will be announced at departure by the road captain.

For more information call Keith Leffler, 707-350-0383.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Department of Public Works is planning work on Perini Road this coming weekend.

The agency reported that it will apply a dust palliative on Perini Road, from Seigler Canyon Road (at the end of the pavement) to Big Canyon Road, and as a result Perini Road will be closed to through traffic from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 26.

The work will take place weather permitting.

The department thanks the public in advance for its patience and understanding.

The Lake County Department of Public Works can be reached at 707-263-2341.

California is among the leading states in effective climate change preparedness, according to a recent national report.

The California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has been a part of that effort, building a new program to plan for and respond to the impacts associated with climate change.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) issued a report titled “Ready or Not: An Evaluation of State Climate and Water Preparedness Planning,” which ranked states on their climate preparedness planning.

California was among nine states to receive the highest ranking for climate preparedness, with the report stating that California has developed an integrated and comprehensive preparedness plan that addresses all relevant water sectors and state agencies.

California was the first state to develop a multisector strategy to put actions on the ground that plan for or minimize the impacts associated with climate change and DFG led the team which developed strategies specific to protecting biodiversity.

“DFG has worked diligently to embed its climate change related efforts into an overarching strategic approach that builds on existing tools and partnerships while allowing for new and innovative actions to proactively safeguard California’s fish, wildlife and habitats for future generations,” said DFG Climate Change Advisor Amber Pairis.

To better communicate climate change actions, DFG has updated and enhanced its website to more clearly articulate its activities and products and has created case studies to tell stories about how both new and ongoing DFG projects and programs are helping to plan for or minimize impacts associated with climate change (http://www.dfg.ca.gov/Climate_and_Energy/Climate_Change/Case_Studies/) .

These case studies highlight activities related to managing for ecosystem function, working collaboratively with partners across large landscapes, managing for priority species populations and integrating climate change into department functions — all important pieces of the effort to respond to climate change.

The NRDC report is available online at www.nrdc.org/water/readiness/water-readiness-report.asp .

For more information on DFG’s Climate Change program, please visit DFG’s Climate Science webpage at www.dfg.ca.gov/Climate_and_Energy/Climate_Change/ .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A family is seeking the return of its orange tabby cat that recently went missing.

“Butters” went missing about a week ago from the area of 18th Avenue and Boyles in Clearlake.

He was not wearing a collar when lost.

He is said to be a wonderful part of the family and his owners miss him terribly.

Anyone with information is asked to call 707-272-2332.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Kelseyville Community Food Bank – a collaborative effort of the Kelseyville United Methodist Church, the Unitarian Universalist Community and Kelseyville Presbyterian Church – is open the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

The Food Bank is located at the Kelseyville United Methodist Church on Main Street in Kelseyville.

They can always use extra hands. They prepare and bag on the Monday before the giveaway at 10:30 a.m. at the Methodist Church, and they are ready to serve guests at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Donations are gladly accepted daily from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Kelseyville Presbyterian Church or on Sunday mornings at any of the participating churches. All nonperishable items are greatly appreciated.
 
This week the food bank's list of needed items includes peanut butter, cereals (both hot and cold), powdered milk and soy milk, microwave popcorn, family size cans of food and juices, small bags of rice, Rice a Roni, canned fruit and fruit cups, canned corn, soups, ravioli, Beef a Roni, macaroni and cheese, diced tomatoes or tomato sauce, refried beans, jelly and canned tuna.
 
They are looking for organizations to collect food for them. If your nonprofit or event could help them out with collection, it would be greatly appreciated.

If you have any questions, or would like to help us out with a food drive, call Julie at the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church office at 707-279-1104.