CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The next HazMobile event will be held Friday, Feb. 21, and Saturday, Feb. 22, at Highlands Senior Center/Community Center, 3245, Bowers Ave. in Clearlake.

Hours will be from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Households can bring up to 15 gallons of toxic items free of charge.

Fees will be charged for amounts over 15 gallons.

Items that are accepted include paint, solvents, fuels, five-gallon propane tanks, pool chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, batteries, fluorescent light tubes (up to 60 linear feet), and other toxic materials that cannot be put in the trash.

Items that cannot be accepted include televisions, computer monitors, ammunition, explosives, radioactive materials or infectious wastes.

To learn how and where to properly dispose these items, please visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us or contact the Recycling Hotline at 707-263-1980.

HazMobile services are provided to residential households by the Integrated Waste Management Division of the Lake County Public Services Department and the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).

Businesses also are welcome to use this convenient service to properly dispose of hazardous waste and protect our environment, however, businesses must pay for this taxpayer-funded service and first make an appointment.

Business appointments can be made by calling the Mendocino County Solid Waste Authority, the contracted agency that provides this service in Lake County at 707-468-9786.

Free recycling options for residents and businesses:

Recycled paint is available to both residents and businesses at Lake County Waste Solutions on first-come, first-served basis in five gallon containers. Colors include tan, brown, gray and pink.

Used cooking oil can be dropped-off by businesses and residents, which will be recycled into BioDiesel by Yokayo BioFuels. Drop-off at Lake County Waste Solutions, South Lake Refuse & Recycling Center, and the Northshore Fire Protection District station at 6257 Seventh Ave. in Lucerne.

Used motor oil can be dropped-off by residents for recycling year round at a number of sites in the county. Visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us for locations.

Electronics (E-waste) can be dropped-off at Lake County Waste Solutions, South Lake Refuse & Recycling Center, and monthly at the Goodwill E-Waste collection held in Lakeport.

Lake County Waste Solutions
230 Soda Bay Road, Lakeport
888-718-4888 or 707-234-6400
Monday – Saturday, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
www.candswaste.com

South Lake Refuse & Recycling Center
16015 Davis Street, Clearlake
Open daily 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
707-994-8614
www.southlakerefuse.com

The HazMobile program is subsidized by the Lake County Public Services Department, Integrated Waste Management Division and CalRecycle as a public service to Lake County residents.

For more information about recycling, reusing, and reducing, please visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us or call the Recycling Hotline at 707-263-1980.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A caregiver support group for families dealing with memory loss or other cognitive impairments will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

The group meets at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 14310 Memory Lane in Clearlake from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Social worker Jenny Johnson is the facilitator.

The groups are sponsored by Redwood Caregiver Resource Center (1-800-834-1636) and the Social Day Programs in Lake County.

For more information call Jenny Johnson at 707-350-3030 or Caroline Denny at 707-263-9481.

Respite is provided by the centers at no charge.

LAKEPORT,Calif. – The Chi Council for the Clear Lake Hitch will host a public informational workshop on Wednesday, Feb. 12, for all its current volunteers and others who may wish to assist in efforts to monitor the hitch spawning migration.

The meeting will be held beginning at 6 p.m. at the Board of Supervisors chambers in the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport. It is free and no reservations are needed.

Chi Council Chair Peter Windrem will lead the discussion. Topics will include the history and traditional Pomo uses of the hitch, a native fish unique to Clear Lake, the biology of this unique fish and its place in the larger ecology of Clear Lake, Chi Council activities to date, and the protocol for observing and reporting the spawning migration.

Department of Fish and Wildlife biologist Ben Ewing will also provide a brief update on the status of the California Endangered Species Act listing process.

Expect lots of photos and maps, and a chance to see a video of spawning hitch splashing their way up Clear Lake’s tributary creeks in the spring sunshine.

If you are a dedicated Chi Council volunteer who wants to increase your expertise and maximize the scientific validity of your observations, or if you are considering taking part in the annual monitoring efforts for the first time, or if you are simply curious, this event is for you.

For additional information about the hitch and the listing process, visit the Chi Council Web site, www.lakelive.info/chicouncil .

For more details about the meeting send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Soroptimist International of Clear Lake will sponsor the annual “Spring Fling” on Saturday, March 1.  

The event will be held at the Clearlake Senior Center, 3245 Bowers Av. in Clearlake.

Doors open at 11:30 a.m. with the event beginning at noon.

Guest speaker is Dr. Kay Taylor, an Oakland Soroptimist member who founded “PINCC” – “Prevention International: No Cervical Cancer” – in 2005.

Dr. Taylor, a gynecologist on a medical mission to Honduras, saw more cases of women dying of cervical cancer in that one trip than in her entire career.  

PINCC is a nonprofit volunteer medical service organization whose mission is to create sustainable programs that prevent cervical cancer by educating and treating women, training medical personnel and equipping facilities in developing countries.

Tickets are $35 per person and include lunch by Chic Le Chef, beverage and the famous Soroptimist dessert bar.  There will be a silent auction, live auction and raffles.

Soroptimist International of Clear Lake meets twice monthly – on the second and fourth Thursdays – at noon at Howard's Grotto in Clearlake. The next meeting is Feb. 27.

To reserve Spring Fling tickets and to find out more about the group contact President Wanda Harris at 707-987-9027 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . 

LAKEPORT, Calif. – In efforts to help Lake County residents succeed in achieving healthier lifestyle choices for the new year, Lake Co-op announced the extension of three incentives that kicked off the new year, including a subscription discount, a $10 credit for customers returning after a lapse of purchasing and a refer-a-friend credit of $5.

The subscription promotion was well received in January.

Customers who commit to a minimum six-week subscription to their favorite items available from the Co-op will receive a 10-percent discount.

Customers who commit to a minimum 20-week subscription will receive a 15-percent discount over that period.

The Co-op offers more than 30 different fresh organic fruits and vegetables to choose from weekly.

“The subscription could include anything from individual products list, like veggies, breads, cheese, etc., to our signature Organic Fruit N' Veggie box,” said Robyn Bera, Lake Co-op operations manager.

If customers are not sure which items to subscribe to, they can commit to a minimum dollar purchase amount of $20 or more for the six or 20 weeks and receive the same discount.

For example, if customers want to commit to purchasing $35 per week for six weeks, by paying in advance they would pay $210 and receive $231 worth of products.

“Not only do you get the discount, but you know you have this money earmarked for healthier food choices,” Bera said. “It's a real win-win for new and returning customers alike.”

Customers can commit to any dollar amount of at least $20 per week.

The second promotion available through February seeks to discover and bridge any challenges customers may have had with shopping through the Co-op's online ordering system.

Customers who have not purchased in the last six months are encouraged to let the Co-op know why they stopped and will receive a $10 credit on their account for doing so.

“Just email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call us at 707-513-5226 and tell us why you discontinued your shopping and we'll put $10 on your account to spend as you like. It's that simple,” said Bera.

“We recognize that shopping through our online ordering system, while quite convenient, is a change in habit for most food shoppers in Lake County,” said JoAnn Saccato, manager of the Co-op. “We are committed to finding ways to increase local consumption of locally produced organic products.”

The final incentive will be available throughout all of 2014 as the Co-op continues its effort to grow its co-op community.

Current customers who refer a friend who registers on the Co-op Web site, www.lake.coop , and make a purchase of at least $30 will receive a $5 credit on their account for a future purchase.

“The success of our local producers and the support of our local economy are strengthened the more customers we have,” noted farmer and Co-op Board President Jim Leonardis of Leonardis Organics.

There are no limit to the number of referrals a customer can make to receive the $5 credit.

The public can shop through Lake Co-op's online ordering system Sunday through Tuesday and pick up their orders on Thursday at their home or office (for a $5 fee) or one of 12 convenient locations throughout Lake County.

They can also purchase overage (items not presold through the Web site) on Thursdays at 307 N. Main St., Lakeport from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Lake Co-op offers discounts to those that become owners of the Co-op through their share purchasing program and further discounts for those owners that become Owner-Workers for the co-op.

The Co-op offers home or office delivery (in most cases), telephone ordering (for those with limited or no internet access), case discounts, and wholesale purchasing.

For more information on the Co-op, visit www.lake.coop or call 707-513-5226.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – All branches of the Lake County Library system will be closed Saturday, Feb. 15, to observe Presidents’ Day.

Normal hours at all branches will resume on Feb. 18.

Call your local branch if you have any questions.

Lakeport Library, located at 1425 N. High St., is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The phone number is 707-263-8817.

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 7 p.m. The phone number is 707-994-5115.

Middletown Library, 21256 Washington St., is open Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The phone number is 707-987-3674.

Upper Lake Library, 310 Second Street, is open Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The phone number is 707-275-2049.