When searching for a specific holiday gift, it’s tempting to jump at the best offer you find. But be careful, the great deal you’re about to get might be a counterfeit item.

Every product is vulnerable to counterfeiting, especially brand-named clothing items and accessories, sports apparel and concert/event tickets.

According to a report by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the European Union’s Intellectual Property Office, global imports of counterfeit and pirated goods are worth nearly $500 billion a year, with many of the proceeds going to organized crime.

Unfortunately, the US is hit the hardest by trade in fake goods. Counterfeit products are bad for the economy and can even endanger lives – the OECD warns of toys that harm children, auto parts that fail, pharmaceuticals that sicken people and medical instruments that deliver incorrect readings.

The prevalence of counterfeit goods also takes a toll on consumers. So far in 2016, around 350 counterfeit product scams have been reported to Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker – with a median loss of $188.

To avoid accidentally purchasing a counterfeit product while holiday gift shopping, follow these six tips from your BBB:

1. Shop in established stores and on reputable websites. Try to shop at the brand’s own store or website or at an authorized retailer. If you’re not familiar with a website or business, make sure to look it up at www.bbb.org first to see its rating, complaint history, and reviews from past customers. Ensure that any website where you’re shopping is legitimate: hover over links, make sure the spelling and grammar is professional, and double check the URL and logo. It’s easy for scammers to create a fake website imitating a brand in an attempt to phish consumers.

2. Beware of too-good-to-be-true deals. If you see an ad for an expensive accessory at an alarmingly low price, be careful. The steep discount may be because it’s counterfeit. Don’t click on ads you see online or follow links in unsolicited emails. Even if the email or ad is from a brand you’ve heard of, look up the URL independently because it may be phishing.

3. Be careful buying from online marketplaces. When you make a purchase through an online marketplace like eBay or Craigslist, you can’t inspect the item before buying it. This increases the odds of buying a counterfeit. If possible, inspect the item in person, and take it to an expert if it’s a big-ticket item like jewelry or art.

4. Buy sports merchandise that’s officially licensed. You can find authentic licensed merchandise and official retailers and resellers on the official website of your favorite team or league. Authentic apparel will always have the correct fonts, colors and spelling, attached tags will usually have hologram stickers, and there won’t be any loose threads or other signs of poor quality.

5. Make sure your transactions are secure. Don’t make a purchase unless you’re sure the transaction is secure. Businesses that sell counterfeit goods may also have poor security. Look for “https:”, where the “s” stands for secure, and other trust marks. Websites should also have a privacy policy.

6. What to do if you do buy a fake. Consumer Reports, a BBB Accredited Charity, advises that you not resell a counterfeit item as it could expose you to criminal prosecution. They also say that you’re legally entitled to a refund or legitimate version, no matter what the seller’s return policy is.

The bottom line: trust your instincts.

If you’re uncomfortable with some aspect of your purchase or if something doesn’t feel right, it’s better to just walk away. If you stumble upon a counterfeit item, report it! Consumers play an important role in advancing marketplace trust.

If you receive spam that directs you to a suspicious Web site or counterfeit product, report the info to the brand owner, the authorities and BBB Scam Tracker at www.bbb.org/scamtracker/ .

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

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. .

Save

Save

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.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Join Middletown Art Center Artists and members for their second annual Members Holiday Show Opening Reception and the new Holiday Art Market. 

The festivities begin at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10, and continue until 8 p.m.

Enjoy browsing a unique display of Lake Made original artwork and art objects by local artists.

The MAC Member's Holiday Show Opening Reception is part of the Christmas in Middletown celebration, and a passport station.

Lake County wines and sparkling apple cider will also be available for purchase by the glass.

“Patrons can purchase artwork at MAC during this holiday season and receive 5 percent off or 10 percent off for MAC members. And, they are supporting Lake County arts and culture, the MAC venue, and our local economy.“ said Lisa Kaplan, director at MAC. ”Give the lasting gift of art to your friends and loved ones!”

The Members Holiday Show features diverse works by MAC member artists and runs through Jan. 15.

The Middletown Art Center is a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to promoting community and economic recovery in South Lake County after the 2015 fires through the arts and culture.

MAC is located at 21456 State Highway 175, at the junction of Highways 29 and 175 in Middletown. 

MAC offers an array of memberships, child and adult classes in the arts, performance opportunities and a new Cinema Club. 

Visit MAC and enjoy work by contemporary Lake County Artists. The gallery is open Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fridays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by appointment.  MAC will be closed this week until Dec. 10 when the exhibit opens at 4 p.m.

When you support MAC through membership donations or purchases of art work, you help support a local creative community.

Learn more or contribute to a burgeoning Lake County arts scene at www.Middletownartcenter.org or call 707-809-8118.

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.

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.