The group will meet at 14773 Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake at 9 a.m.
They will be reviewing the preliminary garden plan for the community garden at the Highlands Senior Service Center and discuss grant applications plus all the ways for community involvement.
For more information, e-mail David Goolsbee at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 272-9230.
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To answer this, let us examine the primary differences between wills and trusts. These differences relate to the following issues: whether a probate is involved; what assets and legal affairs are implicated; and when does the document take effect?
First, a will is a legal instrument that allows you to name an executor to act as the personal representative of your estate. A will only takes effect after you die. Under court supervision, the personal representative will process and settle creditor claims, transact unfinished legal matters, and distribute what remains to your named beneficiaries according to the written terms of the will after you die.
A will controls so-called probate assets – such as real property, personal property, assets and financial accounts – if these are held in the deceased person’s name. It does not control assets that pass automatically to designated beneficiaries (e.g., persons inheriting under insurance, joint tenancy, or retirement plans), nor does it control assets held in trust. That said, a will is “probated” if the total value of the estate exceeds $100,000 in gross value (debts are not subtracted).
Probate begins with a petition for probate (to admit the will and authorize the personal representative). It then proceeds with the inventory and appraisal of assets, the notification of creditors, the payment of all taxes, the settling of claims and essentially ends with a petition to distribute assets to the beneficiaries pursuant to the terms of the will.
The foregoing process takes five to six months at a minimum – usually longer – and may take much more if there are complications, such as creditor disputes, controversy over the terms of the will and valuation issues.
A will is good if the decedent had any unfinished legal business (a lawsuit for example) at the time of death because the only person who can represent the decedent’s estate is the court-appointed personal representative. Typically, the person nominated in the will as the executor becomes the personal representative. It is important if assets were not transferred into a trust.
Next, let’s examine the trust. A trust is a contract between the “settlor” (the person who creates – establishes – the trust) and the trustee, the person who agrees to hold certain property “in trust” for the benefit of “beneficiaries” according to the terms of the trust. A trust controls those assets that are legally transferred (re-titled) from the settlor to the trustee (such as one’s home and investment accounts).
Unlike the will, the trust commences once funded. When the settlor is disabled, resigns or dies, a new trustee (whom the settlor nominated) takes over, manages the trust assets and distributes them pursuant to the trust’s own terms. A trust thus eliminates the need for a court-supervised probate at death, and for a court-supervised conservatorship (of the estate) during disability, at least in regards to assets held in the trust.
So, when would you want a will versus a trust? Very simply put, a will is usually preferable for anyone with under $100,000 in probate assets. Below that threshold, tangible personal property, financial assets and mobile homes can be transferred by way of the “affidavit procedure” (without court). Above $100,000 a trust is usually preferred, as settling trust estates are usually less expensive and time-consuming than probate.
Dennis Fordham is an attorney who practices in Lakeport. He welcomes your calls to reserve a seat to attend the next free public educational seminar on the topics of wills, trusts and estate planning, and special needs trusts. Call him at 263-3235.
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LAKE COUNTY – During the January meeting, Clearlake Trowel and Trellis Garden Club honored 28th President, Claire Grieve, with a Penny Pines Plantation.
Grieve has been a member since 2002. During her years of membership she also served as vice president for two years and as chairman of several committees.
Penny Pines Chairman Ann Blue presented Grieve with the plantation certificate.
This was the 46th donation since the club’s participation in the program, which began Feb. 14, 1990.
At this time donations go to the Mendocino National Forest, Grindstone Ranger District and are used to re-forest the Spanish Fire (5,000 acres burned in 2000).
Individuals are welcome to participate in the Penny Pines Conservation Program by contributing towards the cost of a plantation.
A donation of $68 will purchase an acre of approximately 325 seedling trees.
For more information on how you can give a plantation “in memory” or “in honor” of a friend or loved one, please call Ann Blue at 263-5854.
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Categories which are currently without nominations are Youth Advocate/Professional, Arts Award Professional and Environmental.
The deadline for nominations is Friday, Feb. 27, and the nomination form can be found at www.lakeportchamber.com.
Nominations can also be submitted in writing to P.O. Box 295, Lakeport, 95453 or faxed to 263-5104.
The Stars Selection Committee will meet on March 12 to make their decisions on each category, after they have had approximately one week to review all the nominations.
Details and completeness are most important for all nominations, as they provide the selection committee with the materials upon which to cast their votes.
The chamber staff are contacting those nominators who have not provided enough information for their nominees. They request that nominators provide additional names/contacts for their nominations, if they feel the information they have provided falls short on details, said Melissa Fulton, chamber chief executive officer.
The Lake County community has once again stepped up to sponsor this event, with almost 30 businesses sponsoring the category awards, wine and dinner, said Fulton.
They've revamped the program this year with the assistance of Konocti Harbor to make it more affordable for everyone.
Dinner tickets for this years' Stars Awards are $50 per person and, as always, you may choose your table when you purchase your ticket.
The evening's festivities will begin at 4:30 p.m. with the reception hour, dinner is served at 5:30 and the Awards program will start promptly at 7 p.m.
Local entertainers are being featured during the Stars dinner hour with David Neft providing music during the reception, dinner and awards ceremony.
“David has been with us every year and his performances always add so much to the evening,” said Chamber President Jan Parkinson.
A special treat for an “After Stars” celebration will be the Lake County Diamonds playing in the lounge at Konocti Harbor Resort & Spa. Their show will begin at the close of the Stars program, approximately 8:30 p.m.
Questions on Stars of Lake County can be addressed to 263-5092 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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LAKEPORT – The Lake County Flying Saucer Club will hold its next meeting on Saturday, Feb. 28.
The club's initial meeting was at Cafe Victoria in Lakeport on Jan. 31, and the meeting was filled to capacity. There is obviously a lot of interest in UFOs in Lake County.
The next meeting will be at the Taylor Observatory, 5725 Oak Hills Lane in Kelseyville, at 10 a.m. on Feb. 28. There is a $3 donation required to support the observatory. The observatory's Web site, www.taylorobservatory.org, has directions on how to get there.
Coffee will be available and there will be another mystery guest speaker.
For more information check the club's Web site, www.meetup.com/lcflyingsaucerclub, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 263-3391.
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LAKEPORT – The Lakeport Planning Commission will hold its next meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 25.
The commission will meet beginning at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
Items on the agenda include the Lake County/City Area Planning Council 2030 Regional Blueprint Planning Program and approval of the minutes from the regular Planning Commission meeting of Jan. 14.
The main item on the agenda will be a public hearing and recommended changes on the Lakeport draft 2025 General Plan resulting from comments received during the public review period as well as recent City Council discussions.
The discussion will include Planning Commission Resolutions No. 76 and No. 77 pertaining to the certification of the final environmental impact report and adoption of the general plan.
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