H.R. 1831 makes permanent an expiring incentive that allows modest-income landowners to receive meaningful tax deductions for donating conservation easements that permanently protect important natural or historic resources on their lands.

Congressmen Mike Thompson (D-CA) has now recruited 232 co-sponsors for their Conservation Easement Incentive Act, H.R. 1831. This proposal has solid backing from every part of the country and from across the ideological spectrum, including a majority of both the Democratic and Republican members of the Ways and Means Committee.

“We’ve seen a 50 percent increase in the number of conservation easement donations since Congress passed my provisions to enhance these tax benefits on a temporary basis in 2006,” said Congressman Mike Thompson (D-CA). “It’s time we made these protections permanent. By making sure that landowners can count on this, we’ll take a big step forward in protecting environmentally important lands and family farms.”

“In this time when partisan conflict seems to be the norm, we are thrilled that Democrats and Republicans can agree on the importance of conservation,” said Land Trust Alliance president Rand Wentworth. “Unless Congress acts, this important tool for conserving special places across America will expire at the end of 2009. We look forward to working with all 232 co-sponsors to enact the bill this year.”

Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and ranking member Charles Grassley (R-IA) have secured 30 co-sponsors for companion legislation in the Senate, the Rural Heritage Conservation Extension Act, S. 812.

For a complete list of House and Senate co-sponsors, please visit www.lta.org/easementincentive/cosponsors .

The Land Trust Alliance is a national conservation group that works to save the places people love, working with nearly 1,700 local, regional and national nonprofit conservation organizations. It works to increase the pace and quality of conservation by advocating favorable tax policies, training land trusts in best practices, and working to ensure the permanence of conservation in the face of continuing threats.

The “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” weekend will be a weekend of fun, fashion, decadent pampering and rock star treatment (see the event's Web page at http://thelodgeatbluelakes.com/girls.htm ).

Friday evening will set the tone with a wine and cheese reception on arrival, followed by a beautiful evening of dining and relaxation on the deck overlooking Blue Lakes.

Saturday morning and afternoon will be jam packed with on-site spa services, fashions, wildness and laugh-filled, self-esteem boosting portrait sessions.

The evening activities will include salsa dancing, wine tasting and dinner. The leisurely Sunday morning champagne brunch will round out the weekend. This will be the event you circle in red on your calendar so you will never miss it.

Space is limited so we can provide individual attention to each of our guests. All packages include room, meals and group events. Spa and individual services are available by menu pricing.

For information contact The Lodge at Blue Lakes at 707-275-2181 or visit www.TheLodgeAtBlueLakes.com .

The Saw Shop also hosted the 2008 Habitat for Humanity benefit dinner. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE – The eighth annual Saw Shop Gallery Bistro’s benefit dinner for Habitat for Humanity Lake County will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10.

This is the main funding event for Habitat for Humanity. The dinner will be a multi-course sitdown meal. Guests will be serenaded by the sweet piano music played by David Neft.

All funds received will go to support the construction of homes in our community for deserving families who need a safe and decent place to live.

All costs of the dinner are donated to Habitat for Humanity including the food, wine and the staff hours of the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro. This is truly a fun event!

Tickets are $100 each and table sponsorships for $800 are also available.

Please call the Saw Shop Bistro, 707-278-0129, for reservations. The Saw Shop Gallery Bistro is located at 3825 Main St., Kelseyville.

For more information, please call the Habitat for Humanity office at 707-994-1100.

The Who’s Who Celebrity Lip Sync wants you and your favorite group to participate in our Lip Sync fundraiser for the Lake County Chamber.

The actual performances will be March 13, 2010, at the Soper-Reese Community Theater.

Many community members have already signed up for acts. The songs and acts have been identified, but they have a few songs left which have not been assigned any actors/dancers/or singers.

Join us at TJ’s in downtown Lakeport at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3. Bring your friends and sign up for an act. Many acts have as few as three actors or as many as 20.

For more information call the chamber office at 707-263-5092 or Jan Parkinson at 707-349-2919.

CLEARLAKE – Lake County Community Co-op (LCCC) members and the general public are invited to learn all about solar energy, water conservation, energy efficiency and more from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Nov. 14.

Interested community members will meet at Fresh Energy Systems, located at 14106 Olympic Drive in Clearlake.

Dan, the Solar Man, will show how he converted his business space from an energy “minus” building to energy “plus” and set up charging systems for electric cars. He educates the community on these topics to allow folks to see what's available before they invest in their own energy efficient upgrades. The event is free to Lake County Co-op members and to the public.

Dan has a technical degree and experience working with Pacific Gas & Electric. His business mantra is "safe, secure and sustainable."

On our tour, he'll also show his demonstration garden project with an installed low-water consumption system. He offers a two-week long, fee-based "boot camp" where people can learn 21st century employment skills such as in energy efficiency-based construction and utilities skills.

You won't want to miss this exciting event! For more information, contact Lori Patotzka at 707-994-1618.

Celebrating over one and one half years in existence, the Lake County Community Co-op envisions cultivating an evolving community by nurturing values of social, economic and environmental responsibility. The Co-op wishes to support our local farmers and producers and provide a forum for community activities.

For more information or to become a member of the LCCC, follow the links at lakeco-op.org or call 707-993-4270.

President Alan Mattern receives the charter from District Governor Marty Van Zandt. Courtesy photo.

NICE – The newly formed Northshore Lions Club received their charter on Oct. 24 at a gala affair at Robinson Rancheria's conference center.

The club has 24 charter members and will be meeting at 7 p.m. on the first and third Thursday of each month at the Marina Grill in Nice.

The charter night celebration had attendance from the sponsoring club: The Lakeshore Lions as well as The Early Lake Lions, The Konocti Lioness, Lakeport Lions and Lions from as far as Marin County and Humbolt county. Jim Williams provided music for the event.

The installing officer was First Vice District Governor Kertice Poon from the Novato Lions. The presentation of the charter was done by District Governor Marty Van Zandt to the new president of the Northshore Lions, Lion Alan Mattern, postmaster of the Lucerne Post Office.

The new club has already started the service projects by sponsoring a Cub Scout troop and providing eye exams and eye glasses to an Lucerne Elementary school child.