People from all over Lake County came to learn how to become better at acquiring grants for nonprofit organizations.

In fact, more people RSVP'ed to the event than the Greenview Restaurant's dining room could actually hold.

Fortunately, not everyone who RSVP'ed actually showed up. Amazingly, the dining room ended up providing the exact number of chairs needed.

A special "thank you" must go to Mike Zuech, manager of the Greenview Restaurant, for providing a place for The Foundation Center to make this presentation. Zuech was not even able to attend the presentation as it was scheduled during his vacation to Mexico.

However, Zeuch is likely to hear a lot about it after he returns from vacation on March 8.

"Grantseeking Basics" was in part a slide show presentation. However, if you happened to be present that night I think you would agree the slide show really was not necessary. Scott Ullman was "the show." This man is a walking encyclopedia of information when it comes to grant funding. It is not likely that Lake County will see him again in person for a year or more.

Ullman actually is assigned to cover the western United States for The Foundation Center doing presentations to groups. He spends a great deal of time on-the-road. Lake County just got lucky this year and was able to entice him to stop off in Hidden Valley Lake on his way to Ukiah.

Even though face-to-face encounters with Ullman may be few and far between, he did say he was open to participating in online webinars or interactive podcasts. In fact, The Foundation Center itself is getting more and more involved in online traing with regard to grant funding. Even so, there is a possibility the Lake County online talk show, Power Networking, will get Ullman as a special guest at some future date. If so, that date will be announced in this publication at least a week prior to the event.

One thing that should interest a lot of grant writers here in Lake County is the possibility there may be a satellite resource center for The Foundation Center set up here in the not-too-distant future. There have been some rumblings that the Clearlake Public Library may be interested.

At the meeting Monday night, someone suggested the Calpine Visitor Center would be a great location for the grant research material to reside. With two conference rooms and an upstairs reading area, there certainly is room. Plus, the fact the Calpine Visitor Center has high speed Internet access is a real plus.

According to Ullman, the only thing the Calpine Visitor Center lacks to qualify as a Foundation Center sattellite location is its hours of operation. The Foundation Center requires that every one of its satellite locations be available to the public for more hours than the Calpine Visitor Center is currently open.

But, now that Calpine has had its restructuring plan approved by the Southern District of New York Bankruptcy Court, perhaps a lengthening of its visitor center's hours of operation is in order?

What would really be nice is for the Calpine Visitor Center to become a wifi hot spot. Then, Calpine could actually generate some revenue for itself through its own visitor center while it was open to the public. Grant writers could come and bring their online mobile devices and actually do philanthropic research within the premises. They could even make free VOIP calls to The Foundation Center in San Francisco via Skype while doing research online. This would no doubt be a refreshing change of pace from the empty parking lot that has become an all-too-familiar site at the Calpine Visitor Center these days.

For more information about The Foundation Center, visit http://foundationcenter.org. If you want to connect with Scott Ullman, be sure to click over to the San Francisco location.

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“I am honored to receive this award,” said Berg, D-Eureka. “I've worked for decades to ensure that seniors can remain healthy and independent, and for many Californians, assisted living services make that possible.”

Berg has been Chair of the Aging and Long-Term Care Committee for six years. She released the nation’s first policy agenda to help California prepare for the dramatic changes that will come as the Baby Boom generation moves into old age. Her legislation has focused on aging issues, protecting seniors against fraud, and advocating for more community-based programs to help seniors stay in their homes.

The California Assisted Living Association represents more than 450 assisted living providers throughout the state. Their members range from small, independently-operated communities, to those that specialize in caring for residents with dementia, to large campuses with multiple levels of care.

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The easements require that lands be preserved in their natural, scenic, historical, agricultural, forested, or open-space conditions, even after change of ownership.

“In the face of ongoing growth and development across California, the Department of Parks and Recreation lacks the ability to purchase conservation easements,” Wiggins said. “SB 1431 would allow the department to purchase easements if it is determined that there is a need to protect a state park from an encroaching incompatible use.

“And the use of easements is a cost-effective way to protect a state park because it would allow the property to be held by private hands and thus not require maintenance resources from the state,” Wiggins added.

SB 1431, which is sponsored by the Nature Conservancy, would authorize the Department of Parks and Recreation to make grants to a state or local government agency or a nonprofit land trust organization to purchase and hold conservation easements.

SB 1431, which has yet to be scheduled for its first hearing in the Capitol, is similar to bill carried last year by Assemblyman Sam Blakeslee (R-San Luis Obispo), which got stuck in committee.

Wiggins, who represents California’s 2nd Senate District, has come out in opposition to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s proposal to close 48 state parks as a cost-cutting move, a move she says is “both short-sighted and likely to have a long-term negative impact on the quality of life in California.”

The 2nd District includes portions or all of six counties: Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Sonoma.

To find out more about Senator Patricia Wiggins, including her legislation, please visit her website at: http://dist02.casen.govoffice.com/.

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Persons with an interest in public service and air quality are encouraged to apply. The medical professional is not required to be a medical doctor but such qualification is desirable.

The public member should be able to represent the community at large and has no specific requirements.

The hearing board consists of two public members and one each of legal, science/engineering and medical profession members.

The hearing board meets several times a year to consider variances, abatement orders, and permit appeals of Air Pollution Control Officer’s decisions. Hearings are formal and judicial in nature.

Resume submittals are encouraged from interested applicants. Submittals received by March 21, will be considered.

Interested persons may contact the Lake County Air Quality Management District Hearing Board Clerk at 885 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport, CA 95453 or 263-7000 for more information or an application.

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The history of the Kelsey Creek Watershed will be a topic of the Tuesday meeting. Photo by Greg Dills.

KELSEYVILLE – Historical conditions in the Kelsey Creek watershed will be the topic of a special Big Valley Watershed Council meeting.

The meeting will be on Tuesday evening, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., March 4, at the Kelseyville American Legion Hall, corner of Gaddy Lane and Second Street.

Longtime and multi-generation residents of the watershed will share their memories and experiences of past watershed conditions and changes.

The evening will include refreshments and panel discussion by these longtime residents. The event is free of charge and watershed residents (those living in the vicinity of Kelsey Creek from Forest Lake on Cobb Mountain to Clear Lake itself) are especially encouraged to attend.

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Miss Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" is the inspiration for Bridget Jones, and "Emma" inspired the film "Clueless."

Nearly 200 years after her death, Jane Austen continues to entertain, enlighten and inspire readers around the world.

March is Jane Austen Month in the Lake County Library. Learn more about this remarkable writer who portrayed the British upper class world of the early 19th century in her books, among them "Pride and Prejudice," "Sense and Sensibility," "Emma," and "Mansfield Park."

In this world, fortune counted for more than love when choosing a spouse, but on occasion, love and fortune could be found together.

Filmmakers have turned Jane Austen's books into movies, scholars interpret and analyze her works, other authors have written sequels and spinoffs of her books, and still others have completed her unfinished works.

Many of these books and films can be found in the Jane Austen display at Lakeport Library through March.

The library invites patrons to browse the display and learn more about Miss Austen. All of the display items are available for checkout.

To request more Jane Austen items in the library collection from home, visit the library catalog online at http://ipac.sonoma.lib.ca.us/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=lake.

During March, in honor of Jane Austen, the library website includes a page, www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/DepartmentDirectory/Library/JANE_AUSTEN_FEATURED_AUTHOR.htm, devoted to her biography and her works, and includes links to Jane Austen Web sites.

Web site visitors also have an opportunity to vote for their favorite Mr. Darcy.

Lakeport Library, located at 1425 N. High St., is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, noon to 8 p.m.; telephone 263-8817.

Redbud Library, 14785 Burns Valley Road, Clearlake, is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, noon to 8 p.m.; telephone 994-5115.

Middletown Library, 21267 Calistoga Road, is open Tuesday through Friday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; telephone 987-3674.

Upper Lake Library, 310 Second St., is open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 1 p.m. to 6 pm., and Wednesday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; telephone 275-2049.

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