KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Don't wait, the final four days for Kelseyville Methodist Christmas Sale offers 20-percent discounts on your purchases.

The sale takes place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 12, and Monday, Dec. 19, and continues from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, and Tuesday, Dec. 20, in the Fellowship Hall at Main and First streets.

“It is a perfect time for reduced prices on Christmas trees; collectible dolls, sweaters, holiday dresses, games, puzzles, shoes for women, men and children, plus a wide variety of ornaments, books, tapes, stuffed animals, serving dishes and much more,” said Linda Breeding, co-manager of the Methodist Thrift Shop. 

She said the sale is newly open on Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. because they want to offer working people an opportunity to shop for  the holidays, too.”

“This is a huge Christmas Sale that supports the various programs of the Kelseyville church including the Kelseyville Food Pantry, the Lake County Warming Center, 4-H, Girl Scouts, AA, Shoes for School Children in Lake County, Team Lake County, and international programs like the Heifer Project,” Breeding said.

The thrift shop will continue to open each Monday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. during this special sale. Breeding said there are only four more days for folks to find gifts and decorations for Christmas. 

For information about the Christmas sale and other United Methodist programs call 707-279-4664 or check out the Kelseyville United Methodist Church Facebook page.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The monthly mini book sale will take place in the Middletown Library hallway on Saturday, Dec. 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Prices range from $1 for hardcover and $0.50 for paperback. Books are in excellent condition and great for gift giving.

All proceeds are for the purchase of new books and supplies for the Middletown Library.
 
The children’s library fundraiser is ongoing and doing well. Donations are still needed to reach goal of $10,000.

Send donations (big or small) to Friends of Middletown Library, P.O. Box 57, Middletown, CA 95461, or drop off at library. Funds will be used for children’s and young adults’ books, DVDs, etc.
 
The board of directors is looking for directors. If interested, come to the meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 20, at 4 p.m., held in the Middletown Library Community Room.

The Middletown Library is located at 21256 Washington St.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Operation Tango Mike and the Kelseyville Lions will co-host Hotcakes For Heroes on Sunday, Dec. 11.

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.

Craft items will be available and Santa will be at the event. Remember to bring your camera.

The event will run from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Kelseyville Lions Club, 4335 Sylar Lane, with a suggested donation of $7.

Proceeds benefit Operation Tango Mike in the ongoing effort to send monthly care packages to deployed troops.

For further information call 707-349-2838 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

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LAKEPORT, Calif.  – Desiree Todd will demonstrate making a variety of cheeses from fresh milk at Lakeport Library at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10.

Todd has been working with whole natural dairy products since childhood. She currently operates StableFood Farm Buyers Club, a farmstead full of old-fashioned, nutrient dense, unadulterated farm foods such as Jersey cattle for both dairy and beef, endangered pilgrim geese, heirloom fruits and vegetables. She is usually found on the farm growing and raising real food.

StableFood has a presence on www.facebook.com/stablefood , contributes to the farm blog www.stablefood.wordpress.com/ and Local Harvest and the email is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Her previous cheese-making and fermented dairy demonstrations have been popular library attractions over the last several years.

Light refreshments will be served. For more information about the class please call 707-263-8817.

Get more news about library events by signing up for the library’s email newsletter at http://library.lakecountyca.gov or by visiting the Lake County Library page on Facebook.

The Lake County Library is on the Internet at www.lakecountyca.gov and Facebook at www.facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary .

SACRAMENTO – With seasonal rains promoting the growth of wild mushrooms, California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith is reminding people that collecting and eating hazardous wild mushrooms can lead to serious illness and even death.
 
“It is difficult to distinguish between wild mushrooms that are poisonous and those which are safe to eat,” said Dr. Smith. “Wild mushrooms should not be eaten unless they have been carefully examined and determined to be edible by a mushroom expert.”

Wild mushroom poisoning continues to make people ill and send them to the hospital. According to the California Poison Control System (CPCS), 679 cases of ingestion were reported statewide from November 2015 to October 2016.

Among those cases:

• Three suffered a major health outcome, such as liver failure leading to coma and/or a liver transplant, or kidney failure requiring dialysis.
• 50 suffered a moderate health outcome, such as dehydration due to vomiting and diarrhea, or injury to the liver or kidney.
• 348 were children under six years of age. Usually the children ate a small amount of a mushrooms growing in yards or neighborhood parks.
• 415 were treated at a health care facility.
• Eight were admitted to an intensive care unit.
 
The most serious illnesses and deaths have been linked primarily to wild mushrooms known to cause liver damage, including Amanita phalloides (shown above), also known as the “death cap” and Amanita ocreata (shown at left), or “destroying angel.” These and other poisonous mushrooms grow in some parts of California year-round, but are most commonly found during fall, late winter or spring.
 
Eating poisonous mushrooms can cause abdominal pain, cramping, vomiting, diarrhea, liver damage or death.

Anyone who develops symptoms after eating wild mushrooms should seek immediate medical attention.

People who develop these symptoms, or their treating health care providers, should immediately contact Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222.
 
Local mycological societies offer educational resources about mushroom identification, and may be able to help people identify mushrooms they have picked.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Elder Day Services of Lake County will hold an all-you-can-eat pizza party fundraiser on Wednesday, Dec. 14.

The dinner will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at DJ’s Pizza on Main Street in Lower Lake.

Tickets are just $8 per person for all-you-can-eat pizza.

Clients of the Elder Day Services program are often seniors with a disability caused by stroke or Alzheimer’s disease.

They may have memory loss and/or physical restrictions. All usually have a caregiver to help them with daily living activities.

Caregivers need respite. This program helps to delay the requirement for institutionalization.  It provides social activities and programs for participants. There is a lot of fun and fellowship.

Funds raised will go toward a free scholarship program for participants who cannot afford the daily cost.

By buying five tickets to the event at $8 each, you provide one scholarship for a day of program time and six hours of respite for the caregiver.

The daily program includes breakfast and lunch and activities. The daily cost for the program is $35, but no one is turned away. 

Contact Jenny at 707-350-3030 or Caroline at 707-263-9481 for tickets or information on the program.

Drivers who miss between one to two hours of the recommended seven hours of sleep in a 24-hour period nearly double their risk for a crash, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that 35 percent of U.S. drivers sleep less than the recommended seven hours daily.

And with drowsy driving involved in more than one in five fatal crashes on U.S. roadways each year, AAA warns drivers that getting less than seven hours of sleep may have deadly consequences.
 
“You cannot miss sleep and still expect to be able to safely function behind the wheel,” said Cynthia Harris, AAA Northern California spokesperson. “Our new research shows that a driver who has slept for less than five hours has a crash risk comparable to someone driving drunk.”
 
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety’s report reveals that drivers missing two to three hours of sleep in a 24-hour period more than quadrupled their risk of a crash compared to drivers getting the recommended seven hours of sleep. This is the same crash risk the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration associates with driving over the legal limit for alcohol.
 
The AAA Foundation report found that in a 24-hour period, crash risk for sleep-deprived drivers increased steadily when compared to drivers who slept the recommended seven hours or more:
 
· Six to seven hours of sleep: 1.3 times the crash risk.
· Five to six hours of sleep: 1.9 times the crash risk.
· Four to five hours of sleep: 4.3 times the crash risk.
· Less than four hours of sleep: 11.5 times the crash risk.
 
While 97 percent of drivers told the AAA Foundation they view drowsy driving as a completely unacceptable behavior that is a serious threat to their safety, nearly one in three admit that at least once in the past month they drove when they were so tired they had a hard time keeping their eyes open.
 
“Managing a healthy work-life balance can be difficult and far too often we sacrifice our sleep as a result,” added Harris, AAA Northern California spokesperson. “Failing to maintain a healthy sleep schedule could mean putting yourself or others on the road at risk.”
 
Symptoms of drowsy driving can include having trouble keeping eyes open, drifting from lanes or not remembering the last few miles driven. However, more than half of drivers involved in fatigue-related crashes experienced no symptoms before falling asleep behind the wheel.

AAA urges drivers to not rely on their bodies to provide warning signs of fatigue and should instead prioritize getting plenty of sleep (at least seven hours) in their daily schedules.

For longer trips, drivers should also:
 
· Travel at times when normally awake.
· Schedule a break every two hours or every 100 miles.
· Avoid heavy foods.
· Travel with an alert passenger and take turns driving.
· Avoid medications that cause drowsiness or other impairment.
                                                                                                                                                                    
The AAA Foundation report is based on the analysis of a representative sample of 7,234 drivers involved in 4,571 crashes.

All data is from the NHTSA’s National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey which comprised a representative sample of police-reported crashes that involved at least one vehicle that was towed from the scene and resulted in emergency medical services being dispatched to the scene.

Visit www.AAAFoundation.org for more information on this and other research.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The 10th annual Warm for the Winter clothing giveaway is in need of clothing for children.

The distribution is set to take place on Saturday, Dec. 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. during the Rotary Club of Clearlake's annual Christmas dinner and celebration at Burns Valley School.

Organizer Joyce Overton said the community has been generous again this year with quilts, coats and other warm weather items. However, clothing for children is still needed.

Overton said in particular newborn to size 16 for children are needed.

Items can be dropped off at the Highlands Senior Center, 3245 Bowers Ave., Clearlake, or at Burns Valley School on Saturday morning.

For more information call Overton at 707-350-2898.