“Miss Barbara,” the story lady, will read some Frosty stories to the children. She promises some holiday surprises and each child will make a snowman to take home.

Miss Barbara invites the children to come join in the festivities.

The library will conduct a canned food drive during the story hour.

Everyone is invited to bring nonperishable food items for the food drive.

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 707-263-8817.

LAKEPORT – You won't want to miss the seventh-annual Dickens’ Christmas Market – an event that transforms downtown Lakeport into an old English village for a day full of festivities.

The festivities take place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. along Main Street in downtown Lakeport. The event is co-sponsored by the Lake County Chamber of Commerce and the Lakeport Main Street Association.

Downtown merchants and market vendors will be offering quality items for your holiday gift purchases.

Traveling to downtown Lakeport during Dickens’ Market is like traveling back through the centuries. Costume-clad characters from the 1800s stroll Main Street and welcome guests to browse the shops and enjoy the food and vendor booths.

Event-goers are encouraged to arrive dressed for the occasion in period costumes and enter the costume contest for a chance at cash prizes.

In order to get the real Dickens' feeling, please check out C&G Enterprises on Third Street in Lakeport. They have a full line of costumes and accessories for rent, they will be open on Saturday for your last minute Dickens' costumes and accessories.

Restaurants in downtown Lakeport offer delicious food for sale for the occasion, and a variety of tasty treats also are available at the King’s Food Court on Third and Main streets. Vendor booths along Main Street include arts and crafts, toys, and plentiful gift ideas for the holidays.

Some Main Street merchants host their own booths featuring seasonal products and specialty holiday merchandise. Treasure Hunt is sponsored by the Lakeport Main Street Association.

Eleven Roses Ranch will offer free sleigh rides throughout the day.

The treasure hunt takes place from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Winners will be announced at 4 p.m., with prizes for both adults and children.

The costume contest will take place all day long, with a winner selected to be selected at 2:30 p.m. A cash prize will be awarded.

Entertainment takes place from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on the Piedmont Lumber Stage.

Sutter Lakeside Hospital will host Santa's Workshop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Savings Bank of Mendocino's lighted Dickens' parade will take place at 6 p.m., to be followed by the Hospice tree lighting at 6:30 p.m.

The meeting will begin at 10:30 a.m. at the Catholic Charities of Lake County facility, located at 21257 Calistoga St.

Last year there were so many beautifully decorated homes it was really tough to pick the winners.

This year they are in search of those houses that go all out and decorate for the holidays. We're not talking just a few lights – we're talking the kind of holiday lighting "Tim the Toolman Taylor" would be proud of.

If you think your home is up to the challenge, contact the chamber at 707-994-3600 to enter their holiday decoration contest for homeowners. There is no fee to enter.

Prizes will be awarded for the top three homes selected by the judges.

The deadline is Dec. 15.

Judges will visit the homes in the contest, and first-, second- and third-place winners will be announced in the local media.

The $5.4 million project, which was fully funded by the American Recover and Reinvestment Act of 2009, was awarded to CC Myers Inc. of Rancho Cordova in June.

Work to date has consisted of ordering custom fabricated materials needed for the construction of the new bridge, finalizing environmental mitigation plans, and clearing trees and brush to allow utility companies to move their services before major construction begins in May 2010.

Next April a temporary signal will be installed and one-way traffic control will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week, through fall 2011.

Motorists should anticipate up to 15-minute delays during work hours and 5-minute delays at other times.

This bridge, built in 1954, is being replaced due to scour and the migration of the river channel.

Scour results from water flows eroding the foundation or footings of a bridge.

The new bridge will increase safety by providing two 12-foot traffic lanes with wider shoulders.

California leads the nation with more than $2 billion in Recovery Act funding obligated to more than 700 highway and local street projects statewide. Of these, 370 projects worth $1.97 billion have been awarded to contractors to begin work, with an additional $500 million in federal stimulus funds expected to be awarded on 131 projects by February 2010.

The shop will be open Saturday, Dec. 5, and Saturday, Dec. 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 1190 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

Regular, ongoing thrift shop hours are Tues, Wednesday, and Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

For more information, call (707) 263-4785.