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 reach month.

The food bank is located at the Kelseyville United Methodist Church on Main Street in Kelseyville.

They can always use extra hands, as the number of people using their services has more than quadrupled in a month's time.

They prepare and bag food on the Monday before the giveaway at 10:30 a.m. at the Methodist Church, and they are ready to serve our guests at 3:30 p.m. on 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. They especially need peanut butter, hot and cold cereal, powdered milk in individual packets, small bags of rice, Rice-A-Roni, canned peaches and pears, soups, macaroni and cheese, diced tomatoes or tomato sauce and canned tuna, as well as paper bags.

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

SACRAMENTO – Academy Award-Winning Actor and Chair of California’s Commission on the Status of Women Geena Davis joined Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez (D-Los Angeles) and commissioners Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) and Senator Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) in announcing plans to re-establish funding and modernize the California Commission on the Status of Women (CCSW).

More than a dozen members of the legislative women’s caucus, along with CCSW commissioners joined the group in support of the announcement this week.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to be a part of a game-changing announcement that will re-establish funding for the Commission,” said CCSW Chair Geena Davis. “There is still much to be done to sustain a public dialogue and create real change for women and for our society as a whole, and the Commission will get back to work, doing just that.”

“It’s clear there’s still a great need for the Commission as a voice and advocate for issues impacting women and families,” said Speaker John A. Pérez. “There are still significant gender inequities we cannot ignore, and the Assembly’s transfer of our savings will ensure that the Commission continues to be an effective advocate for policies proposals that will address these critical issues.”

“We’ve all rallied around the Commission, because we know how important it is as a voice for women of all ages and from all backgrounds,” said Senator Evans. She said the announcement “gives us a chance to continue working on vital issues impacting all of us.”

“This is our chance to regroup, refocus and recommit ourselves to the important work of the CSSW,” said Assemblymember Lowenthal, vice-chair of the legislative women’s caucus and CSSW commissioner. “We have a new vision and now have the resources to implement it.”

Senator Evans’ SB 1345 which would create statutory protection for the Commission on the Status of Women regardless of budget action also passed the Senate Government Organization Committee today with a 9-4 vote.  The bill next goes to Senate Appropriations.

The Commission on the Status of Women is a nonpartisan state agency which advocates women’s issues in the public domain and with the Governor, the Legislature and other public policymakers.

Davis announced that the commission would focus on the following key areas: gender inequality in the media, women and families in the military, business, health and safety, and education

Sarah Shealy, assistant professor at Mount Saint Mary’s College, recently released a report that showed women in California made only 84 cents on the dollar to men, with even greater disparities for Latinas and African American women.

State Senator Noreen Evans represents the Second Senatorial District, including all or portions of the Counties of Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano, and Sonoma. Senator Evans Chairs the Legislative Women’s Caucus and the Committee on Judiciary.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Continuing in its effort to offer more local products and services, the Lake County Community Co-op announced inclusion of nonfood items for its members.

The goal is to offer members household products, such as candles, soaps, beauty products, milled and spun wares, household cleansers, and more, that are locally produced, enhance lives and are environmentally friendly.
 
By providing another market for Lake County created goods, the co-op seeks to strengthen the local economy through supporting local small-scale businesses.

The group encourages local producers to offer their wares through their online ordering and distribution system (FOODS), which has nine drop points throughout Lake County.
 
As well, they encourage local organic growers and value-added producers to use the co-op’s existing infrastructure (online ordering and delivering) to increase market options for local sales.

The co-op’s recently expanded products and services include a larger variety of products available from local and regional producers.

Members may now find organic produce such as broccoli, celery, potatoes, carrots, bananas and organic herbs like garlic, cilantro and parsley as well as regionally grown organic grains like triticale, wheat berries, and rice.  

Locally baked organic goods from Main Street Bakery in Kelseyville, including hearty boulles (daily bread rounds), intriguing dessert breads, delicious cakes and cookies continue to be offered every week. Value added products, such as locally produced olive oil from Villa Barone and regional “sea veggies” (kelp products), can also be purchased.

Other new services co-op members may now enjoy include weekly home/business delivery for $5 and monthly delivery of Azure Standard (an online natural goods store) purchases to a drop point or home/business.

For more information on becoming a member for the co-op visit www.lakeco-op.org or call 707-993-4270.

Producers wishing to market their goods through the co-op are encouraged to contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Follow the co-op on Facebook at Lake County Community Co-op.

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

– Construction of a roundabout at the Route 20/Nice Lucerne Cutoff Road intersection will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Granite Construction Inc. of Ukiah.

– AT&T of Ukiah has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for utility repairs from Ogden Road to Paradise Cove beginning Tuesday, May 1. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 5-minute delays.

Highway 53

– Highway widening from 40th Avenue to the junction of Routes 20/53 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 – Teichert Construction of Davis.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– Replacement of the Greenwood Creek Bridge 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 – Golden Gate Bridge Inc. of Martinez.

 – PG&E of Ukiah has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for utility repairs near North Harbor Drive on Monday, April 30. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from the Blue Slide Gulch Bridge to Abalone Street beginning Monday, April 30. Work hours are 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Traffic control will be coordinated with the work at the Blue Slide Gulch Bridge on May 1 and 2.

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance at the Blue Slide Gulch Bridge on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 1 and 2. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 101

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from the Robinson Overcrossing to the junction of Routes 20/101 beginning Monday, April 30. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Southbound traffic will be restricted to one lane. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.  

– Slide repairs just north of the Pomo Lane Undercrossing will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. Southbound traffic will be restricted to one lane. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. Contractor – Granite Construction of Ukiah.

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from just north of the Stanley Creek Road Undercrossing to Piercy on Monday, April 30. Work hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. The northbound offramp to Piercy (Exit 627) will be closed. Motorists are advised to use an alternate route.

Highway 162

– Slipout repairs 1.6 miles east of the Rodeo Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 5-minute delays. Contractor – Mendocino Construction Services of Willits.

Highway 175

– A pavement repair project from the junction of Routes 101/175 to the Lake/Mendocino County line will resume Monday, April 30. Work hours are 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays. Contractor – Granite Construction of Ukiah.

Highway 253

– Slipout repairs about 5.6 miles west of Butler Ranch will begin Monday, April 30. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 5-minute delays. Contractor – Mendocino Construction Services of Willits.

Highway 271

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance near Piercy on Tuesday, May 1. Work hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

Work on all these projects is weather permitting and subject to change. Caltrans advises motorists to drive with caution when approaching work areas and to be prepared to stop at traffic control stations.

The Caltrans Traffic Operations Office has reviewed each project and determined that individual project delays are expected to be less than the statewide policy maximum of 30 minutes, unless noted otherwise above.

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).

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Residents, business owners and property owners are invited to pitch in at the annual Lakeport Clean Up Day scheduled for 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday, May 19.

Bring long-handled brooms to reach cob webs, dust pans, weeding tools, buckets and ladders, and meet at Angelina’s Bakery at 365 N. Main St.

Join your friends and neighbors for a morning of light work, coffee, donuts and good fun.

The event is also appropriate for children from 10 and up (with adult supervision), and can be counted as community service for high school students.

This is an excellent opportunity to do a good deed and show your pride in the city of Lakeport.

For more information contact the Lakeport Main Street Association at 707-263-8843. 

SACRAMENTO – Two bills authored by Sen. Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) intended to bolster the California State Park system in the wake of pending park closures and budget cuts, were approved Tuesday by the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee.

The bills, SB 974 and SB 1078, address the 70 California State Parks slated for closure July 1, 2012—20 of those parks are in her Second Senatorial District along the North Coast of California.

“State Parks are an integral part of California’s environmental and historic legacy,” said Senator Evans. “These bills provide assurance that despite today's budget cuts, our parks will be made whole and economically sustainable.”

SB 974 (State Parks Closures) would require the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to annually and formally review state park closures and revise the closure list if closures are unwarranted, unnecessary or counter to deed restrictions.

Economic impacts on local communities would have to be considered and there would be opportunity for public input.

Importantly, the bill requires DPR to develop a plan to reopen each park closed that takes into account the involvement of the local community and the potential for the reduction of environmental and economic costs.

The bill passed with a 7-2 vote and will next be heard in Senate Appropriations.

SB 1078 (Parks Revenue Generation) would sharpen the DPRs’ focus on expanding revenue opportunities.

The bill establishes within DPR a system-wide Innovation Team charged with evaluating and implementing new revenue generation programs for parks.

The team will examine many proposals including new marketing programs for park passes, which could include selling passes at retail outlets and cooperative agreements with FasTrak.

SB 1078 also localizes revenue generation with the creation of local Innovation Working Groups who, working with community advisory boards, would develop five-year business plans for individual parks or park districts.

The bill passed with a unanimous vote (8-0) and will next be heard in Senate Appropriations.

The Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee also approved two other Evans’ bills intended to improve the state’s response to oil spills and invasive species.

SB 1192 (Oiled Wildlife Care Network ) would give the state’s renowned volunteer-driven Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) more flexible funding by allowing the state’s existing Oil Spill and Administration Fund to cover volunteer training and preparedness.

This bill will help ensure that the OWCN would continue to be ready to respond quickly and effectively in the event of an oil spill.

The bill passed with a 6-2 vote and will next be heard in Senate Appropriations.

SB 1251 (Invasive Species) would convene a statewide Aquatic Invasive Species Task Working Group of Stakeholders to develop recommendations to the Legislature and the Department of Fish and Game to set invasive species control priorities, develop a reliable revenue stream, and  improve coordination among agencies.

The invasion of quagga mussels, the ludwigia plant  and many other exotic organisms clog the state’s drinking water delivery pipelines and threaten Lake Tahoe, Clear Lake the Russian River and other natural waterways.

The bill passed with a 7-2 vote and will next be heard in Senate Appropriations.

“Our natural resources in California are of critical importance to protect,” continued Evans. “Without plans in place that address our vulnerabilities, California could endure disasters in our ecosystems that would take many lifetimes to remedy.”

State Senator Noreen Evans represents the Second Senatorial District, including all or portions of the Counties of Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Sonoma. Evans chairs the Legislative Women’s Caucus and the Committee on Judiciary.