Porch pirates. Package thieves. Grinches. Whatever you call them, they destroy the holiday spirit by stealing the unattended packages from your front porch between the time they are delivered and the time you pick them up.

Sometimes, the window of theft can be as small as a few minutes, and can happen in the blink of an eye.

There are some steps recommended by law enforcement that you can take to help prevent the packages left on your porch by the delivery service from being stolen this year.

They include the following:

• Have packages purchased online delivered directly to the local store and pick them up at the customer service counter.
• Have packages sent with “signature required.” The package can’t be left behind on the porch without a person signing for delivery.
• Track your package online so you see the status (such as “out for delivery,” where the package is at currently and an approximate day of delivery).
• Ask a trusted neighbor to pick up your package from your porch if you are not going to be home.
• If your employer allows it, have your packages delivered to your business address.
• Some homeowners are investing in locking package containers bolted onto their porch for deliveries.
• Invest in a security camera. If your package is stolen, you may be able to record the suspect and assist the police in the investigation.
• Start or join a Neighborhood Watch so you and your neighbors and be on the lookout for suspicious persons in your neighborhood.

If you do have a package stolen, immediately report the theft to local law enforcement and contact the vendor. If you purchased insurance, the item may be covered by loss from theft.

It is important to be proactive and stay one step ahead of package thieves.

By removing the opportunity for them to steal your unattended packages, you can ensure a happy holiday season.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Schoolhouse Museum in Lower Lake welcomes adults and kids alike to its annual holiday open house at the museum.

Come celebrate the holiday season with a Christmas tree lighting, caroling, a visit from Santa Claus and free treats.

This year there will also be arts and crafts for children to make upstairs in the auditorium, including their very own ornaments to take home.
 
This year the event takes place on Friday, Dec. 9, with opening celebrations starting at 6 p.m.
 
This great event is sponsored by the Lower Lake Historical School Preservation Committee, the nonprofit that supports the museum and keeps the schoolhouse an active community center for all in the area to enjoy.

For questions about the event, please contact the museum at 707-995-3565.

The Schoolhouse Museum is located at 16435 Main St. Lower Lake and is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Jeanette Merriman passed away peacefully on Dec. 3, 2016, with family in attendance.

Jeanette worked at Piedmont Lumber in Lakeport for 22 years as a bookkeeper/receptionist. 

Jeanette was preceded in death by her parents, Gerald and Hildred Ketcham. She is survived by her husband, Bill Merriman; her daughters, Lisa Newell of Ruth Lake, Calif., Sara Mozzini and Donna Gibson; son, Dan LaFranchi; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all of whom loved her very much.

As per her wishes, no services will be held. A family memorial will be planned for a later time.

Donations can be made in her memory to the Madison Clinic for Pediatric Diabetes at UCSF online at http://madisonclinic.ucsf.edu/ , clicking “contribute” in the upper right corner and attributing to Jeanette Merriman.

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

NORTH COAST, Calif. – Mendo Lake Credit Union (MLCU) is partnering with several local agencies in a holiday collection effort to provide gifts to children in need this year.

MLCU invites the community to donate gifts to bring joy to boys and girls in Lake and Mendocino counties, said MLCU Director of Marketing and Community Outreach Jamey Gill.

Members of the credit union and the communities in which MLCU has branches are encouraged to stop by any one of the four branches to pick up a tag associated with a child, then later drop off gifts.

Gill announced that MLCU is partnering with the following community organizations:

• Redwood Community Services in Ukiah, Fort Bragg, Lakeport and Clearlake;
• Toys for Tots in Lakeport and Clearlake;
• Lake Family Resource Center, Lakeport;
• Soroptimist, Fort Bragg;
• Mendocino Coast Children's Fund, Fort Bragg.

Gift dropoff deadlines are Dec. 14 and 16, depending on the partnering organization. Details are available at the MLCU branches in Ukiah, Lakeport, Clearlake and Fort Bragg.

“We always look forward to partnering with our community organizations at this time of year,” said Gill. “From all of us at Mendo Lake Credit Union we would like to thank you and wish you a happy holiday season!”

Mendo Lake Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative and has been serving members’ financial needs since 1959.

For more information, contact the Mendo Lake Credit Union, 707-468-0161, or visit the “What’s New” page on the www.mlcu.org Web site.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A “Funky Dozen” celebration of Christmas comes to the Soper Reese Theatre at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 16.

Led by Larry Thompson, the band focuses on favorites from the 1970s, but also pulls the best from the 1980s and 1990s, to provide high energy music that keeps the dance floor crowded.
 
As the name suggests, the band features 12 talented musicians, but not always the same 12. Part of the band's strength is their fluid mixture of core members and new musicians who bring great infusions of style and experience, helping the band stay true to its roots while it continues to grow and evolve.

Twelve members blend to create a powerful sound, melding classic guitar and percussion with a brass section to blow the roof off, topped off with male and female vocalists who use their voices as instruments in their own right.

They cite a wide variety of musical influences, including Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire, Aretha Franklin, KC and the Sunshine Band, Sly and the Family Stone, James Brown, The Isley Bros and Patty Labelle, among others.
 
All seats for this special “Third Friday Live” holiday celebration are $15, with open seating. The dance floor will be open.

Tickets will be 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.

For more information call 707-263-0577.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Joining a community event presented by the Rotary Club of Clear Lake at Burns Valley Elementary School on Saturday, Dec. 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Worldwide Healing Hands health care volunteers will conduct free health screenings to individuals attending the event.

Dr. Paula Dhanda along with medical and community volunteers from Worldwide Healing Hands, or WHH, will be on hand to offer free health screenings and referrals to attendees of the Rotary Club of Clear Lake’s annual Community Christmas Celebration and Dinner.

The event is one of many health screening opportunities planned by the organization to assist Lake County’s residents this year. 

WHH plans to conduct similar screening clinics to the underserved and those in need in the future.

Volunteers will continue to inform individuals about health care availability at upcoming sessions. 

For information about upcoming screenings, Worldwide Healing Hands missions and volunteer opportunities, visit the WHH Web site, www.worldwidehealinghands.org .

In addition to WHH health screenings, visitors to the Rotary Club of Clear Lake’s free Christmas Celebration and Dinner event will also have the opportunity to participate in the Warm For The Winter free giveaway held in conjunction with the annual event.

Items to be given away include warm clothing, coats, hats, gloves, tents, and blankets.

If you wish to donate to this event, contact Joyce Overton at 707-350-2898, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Donations can be dropped off at Highlands Senior Center, Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through Friday, Dec. 9, or at the Meals on Wheels Thrift Store at 14773 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – On Saturday, Dec. 3, the Clear Lake Cardinals sent 18 wrestlers – eight boys and 10 girls – to the CMC Novice Tournament to start off the season.

After some very exciting matches they were able to bring home 16 total medals: six golds, four silvers and six bronze.

The medal count is as follows.

Gold medalists:

Boys: Roman Uribe (111 lbs.) and Brandon Dickey (138 lbs.) each had 2 pins, while Justin Cantrell (150 lbs.) had 3 pins and each went 3-0.

Girls: Mavis Pyorre (108 lbs.) went 2-0 with 1 pin. Ashley Vasquez (187 lbs.) and Kally Vinson (264 lbs.) each went 2-0 with two pins.

Silver medalists:

Boys: Frank Weiler (225 lbs.) went 1-1.

Girls: Madi Ferguson (130 lbs.), Shelby Butcher (187 lbs.) and Haily Vinson (264 lbs.) each went 1-1 with one pin.

Bronze medalist:

Boys: Thomas Lairson (125 lbs.) and Frankie Sturr (130 lbs.) each went 1-2 with one pin. Johnny Strate (163 lbs.).

Girls: Scarlett Ballard (124 lbs.) went 1-2 with one pin. Merari Alvarez (187 lbs.) and Samantha Bruno (264 lbs.) each wrestled up.

Also wrestling tough for the Cardinals was Hayden Eastham (Boys 125 lbs.) and Shyanne Chapin (Girls 124lbs.).

“They all wrestled great, it’s going to be a fun season!” said Head Coach Aiden Pierson.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Lower Lake High Drama Club will perform the Christmas musical version of the “The Velveteen Rabbit” on Friday, Dec. 9, and Saturday, Dec. 10, at 7 p.m. in the Lower Lake High multipurpose room.

The play includes talented seventh through 12th graders including: Joseph Hughes, Josh Harris, Maddison Winters, Alora Vineyard, Kayla Doud, Kealani Cabreros, Faye Rippe, Breaunna Moret, Rebecca Laurenson, Deyonse Yiggins, Maria Nevills, JerrilynCrespo, Konrad Rivera, Raelynn Guerra, Patrick Smith, Rachel Cabral, Donte Price, Kaymen Barnes and Natalie Carte.

“With a mixture of first time performers and advanced drama students the cast is filled with passion and dedication. I’m so excited to watch the students light up the stage,” said director Tracy Lahr.

The admission cost is $5.

There will be refreshments available and a gift shoppe for last-minute shopping.

Bring the entire family and get into the holiday spirit while supporting the Lower Lake High Drama Department. You’ll be glad that you did.

Lower Lake High School is located at 9430 Lake St.

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SACRAMENTO – State Sen. Bill Dodd (D-Napa) recently introduced new legislation to protect victims of mass fraud and identity theft.

The introduction of this legislation comes following the recent Wells Fargo scandal where millions of accounts were fraudulently opened without consent, using consumer’s personal information from existing accounts.

Dodd’s bill would help victims 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 to 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.”
 
Earlier this year, Wells Fargo Bank came under massive scrutiny when information came to light that employees had fraudulently used their customers’ personal information to create more than two million fake accounts without consent.

Some of these fraudulent accounts incurred charges and fees totaling millions of dollars that were passed along to the unknowing victims. Many of the victims attempted to sue the Bank for damages and to recover their losses.
 
In response, Wells Fargo argued – and courts have upheld – that their customers had waived their right to sue when they previously opened their “legitimate” accounts with the Bank.

As a result, the victim’s only available recourse was through binding arbitration. Arbitration is typically a less costly resolution process for the defendant. Outcomes from arbitration also tend to benefit the defending party as they are able to select the arbitrator who will oversee the case. Wells Fargo has since received upwards of $150 million in regulatory fines for their illegal use of consumer information. 
 
“Victims of fraud and identity theft can face many damaging and long lasting effects that can take years to be realized. The recent Wells Fargo case is a perfect example of that, and these victims deserve access to our public courts,” said Richard Holober, Executive Director of the Consumer Federation of California. “I’d like to thank Senator Dodd for introducing this legislation that takes a stand for consumer protection and will act as a deterrent against devious acts of fraud committed against the public.”
 
Dodd’s bill, SB 33, will prohibit the use of forced arbitration in cases where any organization has wrongfully used consumer information to commit fraud.

Dodd’s bill has already gained support from the Consumer Federation of California, the Consumer Attorneys of California, and other consumer advocates. The bill will receive its first committee hearing early next year.
 
Last week U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Representative Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) introduced a federal bill with a similar aim to give customers the ability to go to court to recover damages from fraudulently created accounts.