Saturday, 27 April 2024

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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — Operation Tango Mike and the Kelseyville Lions will co-host “Hotcakes For Heroes” on Saturday, March 16, at the Kelseyville Presbyterian Church, located at 5340 Third St.

The breakfast will feature hotcakes, along with choices of sausage, eggs, biscuits and gravy. Beverages include juice and coffee.

You may also order the deluxe version, by simply requesting “the works.”

Operation Tango Mike volunteers will take orders and serve patrons.

The event will run from 8 to 11 a.m., with a suggested donation of $10.

Proceeds benefit Operation Tango Mike in the ongoing effort to ship monthly care packages to deployed military personnel.

Operation Tango Mike is marking 21 continuous years of supporting the troops and has shipped more than 26,000 care packages.

Care packages are shipped to many countries, wherein deployed troops often have difficulty obtaining supplies and are in harm’s way. There has not been a month that Operation Tango Mike has not shipped to “boots on the ground” in Iraq, since the all volunteer non-profit began in 2003.

Currently, monthly shipping fees alone average $2,000. Coupled with the increasing costs of care package supplies, the all-volunteer nonprofit spends an average of nearly $5,000 per month to send the much needed and appreciated care packages.

For further information call 707-349-2838 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office is reminding community members that it’s important to return documents related to signature verification by month’s end in order to complete the certification of the March 5 presidential primary election.

All voters who received a “Signature Verification Statement” or an “Unsigned Ballot Envelope Statement” from the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office have until 5 p.m. March 28 to return the completed forms either by fax, email or in person.

The elections office cannot count a voter’s vote-by-mail or provisional ballot if the completed and signed statement is not returned by the deadline.

The registrar’s goal is to certify the election by April 2.

For additional information call 707-263-2372 or toll-free at 888-235-6730.
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Sprawl development built far from city centers carries direct and indirect costs that pull resources away from existing neighborhoods, harming communities and natural habitats, according to a new report published today by the Center for Biological Diversity.

“The True Cost of Sprawl” analyzed the environmental harms — including pollution, wildfire risks and public health threats — that come with poor land-use decisions.

It found that suburban and exurban housing developments increase per capita infrastructure costs by 50%, pulling public funds from schools, parks, public transportation and other needs in existing communities for things like new roads and sewer systems.

“Fueling more sprawl is lucrative for developers, but it levies a hefty price tag for the rest of us,” said Elizabeth Reid-Wainscoat, a campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity. “The disturbing trend of policymakers approving more exurban projects that exacerbate the climate emergency can be reversed with a few bold policy changes. Failing to address the true costs of sprawl will mean more land-use mistakes that lock us into a future of more smog, congestion and wildfire risk.”

Despite the harmful consequences, elected officials across California keep approving low-density housing far from existing communities as new sprawl developments are proposed.

In Solano County, a proposal to build a new city called California Forever would pave over wildlife habitat, threaten local water supply and increase air pollution in the region with tens of thousands of new commuters. The sprawling Centennial project, which was approved by Los Angeles County but rejected in court, would increase wildfire risk, destroy native grasslands and significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions. These developments would contribute to the extinction crisis by paving over natural areas while providing little affordable housing.

The report makes the following recommendations to policymakers:

• Protect and restore open space while directing development to urban infill areas.
• Permanently protect current affordable housing and set legally binding anti-displacement policies.
• Build development in areas free from toxic pollutants and away from flood and wildfire zones.
• Invest in public transit and affordable housing with climate-resilient features such as rooftop solar and drought-tolerant landscaping in the urban core.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places.
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With this year’s April 15 tax filing deadline approaching, Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, reminds taxpayers of two key benefits they may take advantage of to ensure they get back any money they earned.

Those benefits are:

• Free preparation assistance is available from California’s Franchise Tax Board’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program and a Tax Counseling for the Elderly program to help individuals with limited incomes complete their tax returns.

• And families should apply for the California Earned Income Tax Credit, a benefit worth thousands of dollars for working people who earn low or moderate incomes. Starting this year, Cal EITC has expanded eligibility to low-income workers aged 18-24 and individuals 65 and up.

“I want to make sure every eligible person is able to receive the benefits provided by the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit, which I was proud to help create,” Sen. Dodd said. “It’s easy to become lost in the maze of forms and rules when you are filing your taxes. Fortunately, there are teams of qualified volunteers out there ready to help.”

People seeking help with their taxes can visit https://www.ftb.ca.gov/help/free-tax-help/index.html.

Assistance is available through April 15 and is limited to full-year residents. The VITA program specializes in assisting disabled taxpayers, those with low to limited income and non-English speaking taxpayers.

The TCE program provides free income tax assistance for middle- or low-income taxpayers, giving special attention to those 60 and older.

The Cal EITC program can be a game-changer for many low-income families. Those who are eligible may also be eligible for other programs including Medi-Cal, CalFresh and CalWORKS.

Find an online calculator to determine your benefit here.

In addition, the IRS has its Taxpayer Advocate Service, which provides an independent system to ensure unresolved tax problems are handled promptly and fairly.

Free tax preparation programs are also supported by nonprofit groups like the United Way.
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California’s need for a structured and coordinated response to labor trafficking has increased in recent years, the Little Hoover Commission concluded in a new report.

The commission released a follow-up report, “Implementation Review: California’s Response to Labor Trafficking,” evaluating the degree to which commission recommendations from three initial reports on the topic, issued in 2020, have been implemented.

The report concludes that of the 10 recommendations made by the commission, two have been partially implemented. There has been no progress on the other eight, including the recommendation to create an Anti-Human Trafficking Council that would coordinate and assess the state’s efforts.

“These crimes continue to fall under the radar and often occur in our most vulnerable communities,” said Commission Chairman Pedro Nava. “California must take a stronger position against labor trafficking and ensure the health and safety of workers across the state.”

In its initial reports, released in the summer and fall of 2020, the commission found that the state largely focused on the trafficking of people for sexual exploitation, rather than labor exploitation.

Each report featured recommendations to help the state develop an organized, statewide response to trafficking, and outlined strategies to support survivors and bring traffickers to justice.

Last fall, the commission conducted a comprehensive review of the implementation of its past recommendations on the issue, including a public hearing featuring testimony from experts and written requests to state agencies for additional information.

This latest report assesses each previous recommendation and reviews any passed or attempted legislation that has been introduced to help strengthen the state’s response to labor trafficking.

The Little Hoover Commission is America’s only permanent, independent citizens commission working to improve state government. A nonpartisan oversight agency created in 1962, the Commission includes 13 Commissioners appointed by the Governor and legislative leaders. The commission’s mission is to investigate state operations and promote efficiency, economy and improved service.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Water Resources reported that Aeroflite Tactical Training CL415 will be occurring on Clear Lake between March 12 and 22.

During this training time, expect to see the scooper aircraft “practicing” their descent, scoop and ascent from various areas around Clear Lake.

Training is not expected to take place every day.

For more information call Water Resources at 707-263-2344.

Upcoming Calendar

27Apr
04.27.2024 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Northshore Ready Fest
27Apr
04.27.2024 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Prescription Drug Take Back Day
27Apr
04.27.2024 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Inaugural Team Trivia Challenge
2May
05.02.2024 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Neighborfest
4May
05.04.2024 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Park Study Club afternoon tea
5May
05.05.2024
Cinco de Mayo
6May
05.06.2024 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Senior Summit
12May
05.12.2024
Mother's Day
27May
05.27.2024
Memorial Day

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