LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Democratic Central Committee holds its regular monthly business meeting on Thursday, Jan. 5.
 
The meeting takes place beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the Lower Lake United Methodist Church Social Hall, 16255 Second St.
 
The agenda for the meeting includes reports from representatives for Congressmen Mike Thompson and John Garamendi, Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and State Senator Mike McGuire, as well as reports from the representative of the Lake County Democratic Club.
 
The group also will be electing new officers for the 2017-19 term at this meeting.

Meetings are open to the public and committee membership is open to all registered Democrats.
 
The Lake County Democratic Central Committee is the official governing body for the Democratic Party in Lake County.
 
For more information about the Democratic Party in Lake County visit www.lakecountydemocrats.org or www.facebook.com/LakeCountyDemocrats .
 
Contact the Democratic Party of Lake County at 707-533-4885 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

From the moment we enter the world, our lives are being planned.

Birthdays, holidays, coming-of-age celebrations, weddings, house hunting, becoming parents, college preparations, etc., consume our thoughts throughout the years.

Even planning for vacations takes up huge amounts of time. Our event preparations shouldn’t stop there.

How many of us really plan for what happens when we are coming to the end of our lives? Yes, people are becoming more involved in planning for retirement. Trusts are set up to provide for surviving loved ones.

We may even put together an advance directive, thinking this will take care of any questions that arise when we become ill.

Yet, often, it ends there. We don’t go the next step. We don’t tell our loved ones what we would like done when we become terminally ill. We don’t tell them what kind of funeral or service we want. We don’t pick a mortuary and make arrangements in advance. We simply don’t take our planning to the final step.

The hardest thing we have to do is acknowledge our mortality. Yes, we know that someday we’ll die; but we really don’t give much thought as to how that is going to happen. 

Hospice Services of Lake County is attempting to lift the taboo about addressing the issue of end-of-life conversations, in many cases creating a positive impact on the quality of life at late stages.

The organization has initiated the “My Life, My Way” campaign.

The campaign encourages community members to begin thinking about end-of-life decisions and to take steps such as having the conversation with health care providers and loved ones, completing advanced care planning documents, and determining how they would like to be memorialized and celebrated at the end of life.

A few months ago, Hospice Services of Lake County’s medical director came to me with an idea for a postcard that people could take to their doctors to let them know they would like hospice care in the event of conditions that would likely result in death within six months.

The “My Life, My Way” postcard was developed along with a business card carrying the same message.

The cards have been circulated and handed out at events for the past few months. They are available from Hospice Services of Lake County.

Working in hospice, I have seen the struggles that family, friends and others have when making the important decisions at the end of life for their loved ones. Hospice works with them to get the arrangements made.

However, think of how much more of that final time can be spent with loved ones. Instead of running around making funeral arrangements, we can spend time together reminiscing about the good times we shared. We can spend time mending fences with others. We can concentrate on making sure we are ending our lives our way.

So I ask each of you to think about how you would like to spend your last days of life. Write it down. Make a plan. Share it with your loved ones. Help them know what you want done. It’s your life. Live it your way.

Consider, too, the better quality of life that comes with such planning and with the services provided by Hospice.

You and your loved ones deserve the type of care and compassion that comes from Hospice Services of Lake County’s dedicated staff: managed pain, caregiver support, personal attention, spiritual support, emotional support and much more.

For more information, contact Hospice Services of Lake County by calling 707-263-6222, or visit www.lakecountyhospice.org .

Cindy Sobel, RN, MS, is director of Patient Care Services for Hospice Services of Lake County, Calif.

WHY HIM? (Rated R)

The holiday spirit always lingers for a while right into the start of January. Some of the films capture the festive mood better than others. “Why Him?” might not be one of them.

In fact, the closest this James Franco film gets into the spirit of Christmas is when he discovers that his misguided attempt to have a tattoo of his girlfriend’s family on his back is actually a portrait image complete with the “Happy Holidays” greeting.

But then you’ve probably already seen this bit from the ubiquitous trailers that pretty much string the best comedic scenes into one incomprehensible package of random acts of lunacy and mayhem.

Franco’s Laird Mayhew is a socially awkward Silicon Valley tech billionaire who is on the opposite end of the spectrum, at least culturally, of his girlfriend’s Midwestern family.

Bryan Cranston’s Ned Fleming is the straight-laced owner of a printing company in Michigan that’s struggling to complete in the digital age.

At Ned’s birthday party, his daughter Stephanie (Zoey Deutch) joins the event via Skype to send well wishes to her dad from her Stanford dorm room.

The Flemings, including Ned’s wife Barb (Megan Mullally) and son Scotty (Griffin Gluck), and their party guests are surprised by the unexpected introduction of her new boyfriend in the buff in the background.

Distraught that his daughter has been hiding a boyfriend, Ned begrudgingly agrees to travel with the family to the West Coast in order to meet her first serious boyfriend during the Christmas holiday.

Ned is mostly shocked to find that Laird is not only about ten years older but is heavily tattooed and wildly inappropriate in his coarse, vulgar manner of casual conversation liberally sprinkled with profanity.

But much worse is to come when Ned faces the meltdown of his life when finding out that the wacky, unfiltered Laird wants to propose to his daughter Stephanie (Zoey Deutch) on Christmas day.

“Why Him?” turns, as you expect from watching the trailers, into a generational battle between Midwestern rectitude and stereotypical California oddball weirdness when Ned and Laird go mano a mano, at least metaphorically.

This cultural divide is understandable given that Ned treats his loyal employees like family, while Laird lives on a “smart home” estate where farm animals roam free and has an eccentric houseboy named Gustav who acts like Cato from the “Pink Panther” films.

Most of the other characters get lost in the shuffle, and in the end, “Why Him?” does have its moments of inspired lunacy, but the gratuitous nature of crude jokes begin to wear thin long before the film ends on an incompatible saccharine note.

TV Corner: 'The Mick' on FOX Network

The same production team that brought the long-running FX network comedy “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” to fruition performs similar functions for another primetime comedy, “The Mick,” on the parent network of FOX.

Not surprisingly, Kaitlin Olson, who held her own with the three guys running an Irish tavern in Philly, seems the perfect fit for the degenerate, two-bit hustler from Rhode Island who has spent her entire life shirking any semblance of dependability.

Olson’s Mackenzie, or Mickey to her friends, is introduced wandering through a supermarket, sampling packaged goods from chips and whipped cream to underarm shavers and talcum powder before dropping off a six-pack to a bum with a shopping cart.

Her so-called boyfriend Jimmy (Scott MacArthur), referred to by Mickey only as “my guy,” tags along on a road trip to the rarefied atmosphere of upscale Greenwich, Connecticut.

The occasion is for Mickey to unexpectedly drop in at a fancy lawn party hosted by her estranged sister at the mansion shared with her billionaire husband and three spoiled kids.

In a surprising turn of events, the FBI raids the high-society function to arrest the high profile couple for tax evasion, and Mickey suddenly becomes the unwilling guardian for the high-maintenance children who quickly assess that their aunt is not up to the task.

The oldest is 17-year-old Sabrina (Sofia Black D’Elia), a snooty brat who flaunts her sexuality with a hunky twentysomething carpenter who goes shirtless while working around the house.

Then, there’s the annoying middle child Chip (Thomas Barbusca), an arrogant, entitled 13-year-old nerd who does not know how to make friends at school, let alone to connect with girls even on a platonic level.

Third child Ben (Jack Stanton) is only 7-years-old but he seems keenly interested in whatever the adults are talking about. He also swipes Mickey’s birth control pills because he overhead that they were magical.

What Mickey, an unsuitable parental figure, is asked to do reminds one of a similar role once played by John Candy in a feature film, but unfortunately Mickey doesn’t quite have the same mix of empathy and humor required to make the central character anything more than predictable.

I could be wrong about this, but “The Mick” does not seem likely to have the longevity that was afforded to Kaitlin Olson’s previous TV comedy set in Philadelphia.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College wishes everyone a happy winter season and reminds students or potential students that the beginning of the spring semester is right around the corner.

Spring semester classes begin on Monday, Jan. 23.

For those planning to take classes this coming semester, counselors are waiting to help guide them through their educational goals.

The learning center is waiting to help ensure students succeed in their academic endeavors with tutoring and one-on-one help for math, English and more.

Financial aid officers are able to assist in obtaining federal Pell grants, Cal grants and more.

For veterans, disabled, first generation college students or low-income individuals, there is a program that may be able to offer assistance to ensure they can become a student with all the support they require to succeed. 

The Lake County Campus team is prepared to serve students' every need until they have received their certificate or degree, or until they have transferred on to the next stage in their educational path.

Classes are limited in space, so make sure to register today. 

Visit the campus at 15880 Dam Road Extension in Clearlake, call 707-995-7900, or go to http://lcc.yccd.edu for more information or to make an appointment.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Friday, Jan. 20, the Soper Reese Theatre Third Friday Live series features Bill Noteman and the Rockets.

The show starts at 7 p.m. The dance floor will be open.

In 1983 Bill Noteman, Larry Platz, David Neft and Dave Falco got together for an impromptu jam in an old movie theater in Lower Lake.

What emerged that night was Bill Noteman and the Rockets, a band that soon took over Lake, Sonoma, Napa and Mendocino counties with a unique high energy blend of Chicago blues and rock and roll known as West Coast Jump.

Today Noteman, harmonica virtuoso and entertaining front man, is skillfully supported by original members and local legends "Mojo" Larry Platz on guitar, David “Rockin 88’s" Neft on keyboards, bassist Dave “Fingers” Falco and new member, drummer Steve "The Shuffler" DuBois.

One critic recently described the group in this way: "Raw expressive vocals, searing harmonica, sizzling guitar, and cooking keys dipped in the sauce of a smoldering rhythm section. This is the original music and feeling of Bill Noteman and the Rockets."

Tickets are $15 for all seats and are available online at www.SoperReeseTheatre.com or at The Travel Center, 1265 S. Main, Lakeport, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Soper Reese Theatre is located at 275 S. Main St., Lakeport.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP) has launched a New Year’s campaign to help Americans turn their resolutions into real solutions for healthy eating in 2017.

This campaign is supported by new and existing MyPlate, MyWins resources available on www.ChooseMyPlate.gov , which are designed such that Americans can decide where to start on the journey to healthy eating.

“As Americans begin thinking about setting goals for the New Year, MyPlate, MyWins is the place to start,” said Kevin Concannon, Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services. “With the new resources available on the MyPlate, MyWins webpages, Americans can set small, attainable, healthy eating solutions to incorporate into their lifestyle now and into the future.”

Every January, Americans are overloaded with information about New Year’s resolutions. While starting with the best intentions, many people set unrealistic resolutions and incorporate goals that are difficult to maintain.

Starting with small steps and celebrating milestones along the way are shown to be more beneficial strategies in keeping resolutions.

This is where MyPlate, MyWins comes in; MyPlate, MyWins is a resource to help Americans turn resolutions into real solutions to achieve a healthy eating style in alignment with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020.

Real solutions are small, practical changes that add up to a healthy lifestyle over time. These changes can be incorporated into Americans’ lives to maintain a healthy eating style based on the five food groups of MyPlate.

MyPlate, MyWins encourages consumers to find and celebrate their wins and their real solutions. Since everyone has different eating habits, MyPlate, MyWins helps individuals create their own, personalized nutrition goals and solutions.

Over the course of five weeks as part of the New Year campaign, CNPP will release five MyPlate, MyWins animated videos to the new Make Small Changes webpage. These short, animated videos demonstrate simple changes Americans can make to their typical meals to decrease sodium, saturated fat, and added sugars. Each video has a different theme including breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and beverages.

“Making a small change, for example, switching from two slices of pepperoni pizza for lunch to one slice of veggie pizza, a salad, and an apple decreases sodium and saturated fat intake, while adding items from other food groups,” said Angie Tagtow, executive directors of USDA’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion. “The videos demonstrate to Americans that small, healthy changes, or switches, during meal and snack times can add up over time and improve your eating style.”

To supplement these videos, there are new, meal-specific webpages with nutrition information, more examples of small ways to improve typical meals, and five new MyPlate, MyWins tip sheets. The tip sheets provide suggestions for making healthier choices in typical dining environments: potlucks and parties, coffee shops, buffets, Italian restaurants, and Asian cuisine takeout. All of these resources can help consumers utilize real solutions in their typical day to achieve nutrition goals and maintain a healthy eating style now and into the future.

On January 2, 2017, SuperTracker will kick off a public New Year’s Challenge that encourages participants to start slowly and develop a healthy eating style over time.

Over five weeks, participants will be challenged to incorporate the five MyPlate food groups – fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy – into each day. To officially join the challenge and receive encouraging messages along the way, individuals will need to create a free SuperTracker account.

The MyPlate, MyWins landing page has many additional resources to assist Americans in modifying their meals in order to maintain healthier eating habits throughout their lives.

The Stories from Families and Individuals page includes videos from relatable families about their healthy eating solutions and testimonials from the MyPlate staff. There also are ways to get involved for partners, professionals, and consumers. Additionally, CNPP encourages consumers to share their real solutions and wins via Twitter and Facebook using #MyPlateMyWins.

Visit MyPlate, MyWins to learn more about achieving real solutions and celebrating wins in the New Year.

SACRAMENTO – State Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa) has been named as chairman of the Senate Banking and Financial Institutions Committee by Senate President pro Tem Kevin de León.

Sen. Dodd assumed office representing California's Third Senate District – which includes all or portions of Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Yolo, Sacramento and Contra Costa counties – at the start of December.

Dodd previously served as the representative for the Fourth Assembly District, which includes Lake County. He has pledged to continue to help Lake County in his new role.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to chair the Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions. As chair, I will focus on building strong consumer protections, while ensuring the economic vitality of California,” said Sen. Dodd. “I would like to thank Sen. de León for appointing me to key committee assignments that represent crucial policy areas for our district and for our entire state."

Dodd's committee could help California serve as a counterpoint to inaction or rollbacks of consumer financial protections at the federal level.

Dodd already has shown leadership on banking and consumer protection issues, recently introducing a bill in response to the recent Wells Fargo fake account scandal.

His bill would help victims of fraud by eliminating the use of forced arbitration clauses in contracts that were fraudulently created. Such contracts prevent consumers from having their day in court to recover damages.

“It’s unacceptable for consumers to be blocked from our public courts to recover damages for fraud and identity theft. Allowing victims their day in court not only allows them to recover, it can prevent more victims by putting an end illegal business practices,” said Dodd. “With quick federal action on this issue unlikely, it’s critical that California lead the nation to prevent these abuses.”

The president pro tem of the Senate appoints senators to committees at the start of each two-year session.

Dodd also was appointed to serve as a member of the Senate committees on Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, Governmental Organization, and Business, Professions and Economic Development.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Local business owner Shannon Gunier has completed her first children’s book, “The Story of Charlie Mousie.”

The book features 16 brightly colored illustrations of Charlie Mousie and all of his friends in the jungle that stresses, to children, the importance of a good attitude, how to get along with all types of personalities, and the importance of  helping others.

It is the first in a series of “Charlie Mousie” books that will be published over the next few months.

As the oldest of 6 girls, Gunier used to listen to her dad tell the stories to her younger sisters at bed time each night.

Before he passed away Gunier, with her father, committed the stories to paper and she promised him she would illustrate each one of them and get them published. 

“The Story of Charlie Mousie” makes an excellent gift and can be purchased on www.smile.Amazon.com as well as directly from the author (please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ).

Some of the proceeds from the book are being donated to World Wide Healing Hands, an organization started by local Lake County physician Dr. Paula Dhanda.

WWHH volunteers have saved thousands of women and babies by traveling to Third World Countries with skilled medical training, modern equipment and healing medicine.

Dr. Dhanda is well known for her many years of service to the citizens of Lake County and Shannon currently serves on her Board of Directors.

Designed for preschool children and beginning readers, “The Story of Charlie Mousie,” is a lovely story that is perfectly illustrated to keep young kids minds wandering with imagination and excitement.