UPPER LAKE, Calif. – William Boyd Devine, 86, of Upper Lake passed away peacefully on Dec. 9, 2016, in Lakeport, Calif.

Bill was born in Westport, Wash., to William Bryan Devine and Cecil Irena Scott on Dec. 20, 1929.

In order to help provide for his family, he learned the logging trade at age 14. He spent almost 50 years as a truck driver and later owned a small business in Ukiah. 

Bill is preceded in death by his loving wife, Gladys “Klara” Devine, and three sons, Michael Devine, Mark Jay and David Devine.

Bill is survived by his children, William Devine of Lincoln, Mont., Steven Devine of Graham, Wash., Daniel Devine of Santa Rosa, Calif., Cindy McGrew of Redwood Valley, Calif., Michelle Sagehorn of Lucerne, Marsha Bray of Sonoma, Calif., and Eric Devine of Ukiah, Calif. He also is survived by his younger brother, Willard Joseph Devine of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. He leaves 22 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. In addition, he left behind numerous nieces and nephews. 

He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

A celebration of life ceremony is being scheduled in early April, with details to follow.

Arrangements by Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 1625 N. High St., Lakeport, 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611 or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Kelseyville United Methodist Church will host Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services this holiday weekend.

At 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24, the church will hold its candlelight Christmas Eve service featuring music from Samaya Epstein, readings, meditations and prayers.

On Sunday, Christmas morning, after opening presents, join them for a brief 9 a.m. Christmas service as they pray for their community, country and world.

Mike Heintz will offer accompaniment to carols on Sunday morning. Both services will be led by Lay Pastor Voris Brumfield.

If you have not been to church for a while, this is an excellent time to bring your children, family and friends and remember the reason for the season, the birth of Christ Jesus.

Having served the community on this same spot since 1854, the Kelseyville United Methodist Church is located at 3810 Main St. at the corner of First and Main across the street from the Saw Shop Restaurant.

For more information about the church's programs and services call 707-295-7174 or 707-295-4664. You may also email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or check the church's Facebook page.

LUCERNE, Calif. – Neal Bennett was born on Aug. 29, 1935, in Walker, Minn., and passed away at his home in Lucerne on December 10, 2016.

He is survived by his siblings, Darlene Caruso and Richard (Rhoda) Bennett, and companion to the end, Shelly Basye.

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

The holidays are approaching quickly – meaning deadlines for gift-buying are as well! During this busy season, people often don’t have the time to find and buy the perfect gift for everyone on their list.

The solution? Gift cards! According to a holiday shopping survey by the National Retail Federation, gift cards are the most popular gift items – 61 percent of those surveyed want them!

There are two main types of gift cards – retail gift cards that can only be used at specific establishments, and bank gift cards that function like cash and can be used almost anywhere. The former are usually free to purchase, while the latter often are accompanied by a purchase fee.

Gift cards are a great gift because of their ease and versatility. To make the experience even easier, the FTC put in place consumer protection measures for gift cards in 2010.

The rules state that: money on a gift card can’t expire for at least five years; inactivity fees can be charged only after a card hasn’t been used for at least one year; and the expiration date must be clearly disclosed on the card and any fees must be clearly disclosed on the card or its packaging.

Although gift cards are a great one-size-fits-all gift, there are still a few things to consider when buying them. Your Better Business Bureau (BBB) recommends that you:

· Read the fine print. Search the card’s packaging and the card itself for any fees, expiration dates, and terms and condition. Some organizations charge service fees, or will limit the gift card to “in store only” purchases, making it useless for online shopping. If you’re buying the card by phone or online, verify whether there will be any shipping and handling fees.

· Start with trust. It’s important to buy from sources you know and trust. Avoid online auction sites – the cards may be counterfeit or obtained illegally. Retailers can cancel stolen gift cards or a criminal might resell a gift card they have already used. If you’re considering buying a card on a gift card resale site, be very careful. It’s impossible to verify the amount on the card or see if it’s expired. If you do go online, make sure to look up the business at www.bbb.org to view its rating, complaint history and reviews from past customers. It’s also important to make sure that the site is secure – look for the “https:”, where the “s” stands for “secure.”

· Examine the card and packaging for tampering. It’s common for thieves to record a card’s PIN and put it back on the shelf. They wait for the card to be bought and then use it online, wiping the value, before the customer has a chance to. The safest gift cards are those in a thick plastic casing. Make sure the packaging hasn’t been tampered with, and check the back of the card to make sure that the PIN number hasn’t been exposed and no protective stickers have been removed.

· Consider the retailer/bank. Consider whether the recipient will be able to use the card – do they live close to the establishment, and if not can they use the card online? It’s also important to consider the financial condition of the retailer or restaurant. If the store location near the recipient closes, it may be difficult for them to use the card. If the company goes out of business or files for bankruptcy, the card may be useless.

· Avoid scammers. Gift cards are also popular among scammers. One common sign that something is a scam is if you’re asked to pay through a gift card or prepaid card – usually bank, Amazon and iTunes cards. In fact, so far in 2016, around 5 percent of those that reported losing money to a scam to BBB Scam Tracker paid the scammer with a prepaid card/gift card. Most trustworthy companies will never demand a gift card as any form of payment. If you get a phone call asking for such, hang up and report it to BBB Scam Tracker at bbb.org/scamtracker.

· Protect the recipient. Keep the receipt and give it to the recipient. If a card is stolen, a replacement might be issued if you have the receipt. If possible, register the gift card on the store’s Web site. This can help you find out about any card misuse and protect the card’s balance in case it’s stolen or lost.

· Don’t give out personal information. No trustworthy company will ever ask for personal information when you purchase a gift card. Consider it a red flag if you’re asked for personal details.

Rebecca Harpster works for the Better Business Bureau serving the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern Coastal California.

On Dec. 29, more of the California coastline will open to the commercial Dungeness crab fishery.

Some previously closed areas will open at the recommendation of state health agencies, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced Friday.

The area between Point Arena and Ten Mile River in Mendocino County will open on Dec. 29.

However, due to persisting conditions of elevated domoic acid levels, the fishery will remain closed between Ten Mile River and Shelter Cove.

The closed portions of the coast may open once testing by state agencies shows that domoic acid in crabs from the area no longer poses a significant risk to public health.

On Dec. 29 at 12:01 a.m., the commercial Dungeness crab season will open from 38° 57.5′ N. Lat. (near Point Arena) to 39° 33.3′ N. Lat. (near Ten Mile River).The opener in this area will be preceded by a 64-hour pre-soak period commencing at 8 a.m. on Dec. 26.

The area between Ten Mile River and Shelter Cove will remain closed until the CDFW Director receives a recommendation from the state health agencies that levels of domoic acid – a naturally occurring toxin – do not pose a public health risk.

Last fall and winter, domoic acid along the West Coast interrupted Dungeness and rock crab fisheries from Santa Barbara to the Oregon state line.

At the recommendation of the state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham submitted to the Office of Administrative Law an emergency rulemaking to keep the commercial Dungeness crab fishery closed north of Point Reyes and to close the commercial rock crab fishery north of Pigeon Point.

State and federal laws prohibit the commercial distribution of seafood products that contain domoic acid levels above the federal action level of 30 parts per million in the viscera.

Because of this, on Nov. 8, OEHHA, in consultation with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), recommended to CDFW to close or delay the start of the commercial Dungeness crab season north of Point Reyes and close the commercial rock crab fishery north of Pigeon Point.

Since then, much of the California coast opened to commercial Dungeness crab fishing as test results have come back below the action level. 

The recreational season for Dungeness crab opened on Nov. 5 and remains open with a warning from CDPH to recreational anglers to avoid consuming the viscera of Dungeness crab caught between Ten Mile River and Shelter Cove.

Closure of the above-referenced commercial fisheries shall remain in effect until the Director of OEHHA, in consultation with the Director of CDPH, determines that domoic acid levels no longer pose a significant risk to public health and recommends the fisheries be open, and the Director of CDFW provides notification to the commercial fisheries.

Recreational fisheries will remain open under a warning to anglers not to eat the viscera of crab caught in the affected areas.

CDFW will continue to coordinate with CDPH and OEHHA to test domoic acid levels in crab along the coast to determine when the fisheries can safely be opened. CDPH, in conjunction with CDFW, has been actively testing crabs since early September and results from the most recent tests showed that select crabs from the closed areas had elevated levels of domoic acid in their viscera.

Domoic acid is a potent neurotoxin that can accumulate in shellfish, other invertebrates and sometimes fish. It causes illness and sometimes death in a variety of birds and marine mammals that consume affected organisms.

At low levels, domoic acid exposure can cause nausea, diarrhea and dizziness in humans. At higher levels, it can cause persistent short-term memory loss, seizures and can in some cases be fatal.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – DJ's Pizza in Lower Lake will do a “Feed the Need of Clearlake” event on Christmas Eve, Saturday, Dec. 24.

They will provide a free slice of pizza for anyone in need who walks through their door from 2 to 4 p.m.

They also will take donations for those in need.

DJ's Pizza is located at 16135 Main St. in Lower Lake.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO ADOPT A CATEGORICAL EXEMPTION
AND NOTICE OF PROPOSED MINOR USE PERMIT
BY THE LAKE COUNTY ZONING ADMINISTRATOR 

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Lake County Zoning Administrator of the County of Lake, State of California, will consider approving Minor Use Permit 16-35 with no public hearing if no written request for a public hearing is submitted by 5:00 P.M., January 3, 2017 at the Community Development Department, Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport, California. 

Should a timely request for hearing be filed, a public hearing will be held on January 11, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. in Conference Room C, 3rd Floor of the Courthouse.

Minor Use Permit 16-35: The property is located at 8989 Fairway Dr., Kelseyville, APN 430-212-04.

The property owner, Valeria Bilar, has requested approval of this permit in accordance with Lake County Code to allow a 25 percent reduction of the required front yard setback from 20 feet to 15 feet to accommodate a deck in the front yard. Project planner: Tricia Shortridge, (707) 263-2221 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Copies of the application, environmental documents, all reference documents, and staff reports associated with each project are available for review through the Community Development Department, Planning Division; Telephone (707) 263-2221.


COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
Robert Massarelli, Director

By: ____________________________________
Michalyn DelValle, Principal Planner
               

Trees are an essential part of California’s climate and are vital to improving air quality and conserving water.

To help educate Californians on the value that trees provide to building successful, healthy cities and neighborhoods, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, and California ReLeaf are announcing the annual statewide Arbor Week poster contest for students in third, fourth and fifth grades. Rules and details can be found online here.

In addition, Cal Fire and California ReLeaf are also holding a video contest for students in sixth, seventh and eighth grade. Rules and details for the video contest can be found here.

For each contest, students are asked to create original artwork or video based on the theme “Trees Are Superheroes!” (¡Los Árboles Son Superhéroes!). Also available now are lesson plans that align with Common Core Standards. Submissions are due to California ReLeaf by February 14, 2017.

Winners will be featured at the State Fair, displayed on the California ReLeaf/CAL FIRE websites, and awarded cash prizes provided by CAL FIRE, the California Community Forests Foundation, and California ReLeaf.

Cal Fire and California ReLeaf are partnering to encourage cities, nature groups, schools, and youth organizations to celebrate California Arbor Week by planting trees in their communities.

California ReLeaf works statewide to promote alliances among community-based groups, individuals, industry, and government agencies working to protect the environment by planting and caring for trees and the state’s urban and community forests.

“Trees are truly earth’s superheroes,” said Cal Fire Deputy Director Helge Eng. “They can combat the impacts of climate change and help provide cleaner air and water. . Those are some real superhero powers.”

The goals of Arbor Week include educating Californians about trees, encouraging tree planting, teaching elementary school children the environmental, social, and economic benefits of trees, and protecting the state’s valuable natural resources. 

“Trees are amazing superheroes for our cities and towns and perform many extraordinary feats every day to protect our communities,” said Cindy Blain, executive director of California ReLeaf. “They cool the air, clean the air, clean and capture rainwater, reduce our blood pressure and increase our mental concentration. All this is just another way of saying that trees keep our communities safe and make us healthier and smarter. Arbor Week is the perfect time to honor and recognize the trees - the superheroes we see every day.”

Contest rules and the new educational materials can be downloaded at http://arborweek.org/for-educators/ . The contest is sponsored by California ReLeaf, CAL FIRE, and the California Community Forests Foundation. 

California Arbor Week runs March 7 to 14 every year to mark famed horticulturist Luther Burbank’s birthday and to raise awareness of the benefits of trees in our communities. In 2011, legislation was passed to define California Arbor Week in statute.

Visit www.arborweek.org for more information.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake County Bible Fellowship invites the community to its Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services.

The church will hold a simple candlelight Christmas Eve service at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24, with Christmas carols and Scripture reading.

The regular Sunday service will take place at 10:45 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 25. The message will be on finding peace in the coming of Jesus.

Lake County Bible Fellowship is located at 727 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport, telephone 707-263-4327.

Visit the church's Web site or its Facebook page for more information.

MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Operations have started on the Hardin timber sale approximately 14 miles northwest of Elk Creek.

Forest officials said hauling could begin next week, depending on the weather.

Timber will be hauled from the Hardin Ridge area on the 22N47 Road, to the 22N21 Road, to FH 7, to the 21N299 Road, to the 21N07 Road, back to FH7 at the end of the pavement and then down the FH7 to the valley. 

Approximately four to eight truckloads a day are expected to exit the sale area. Truck traffic and active felling signs are posted. Please drive with caution on all forest roads and watch for trucks in this vicinity.

For additional forest road information visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd528167.pdf .