LAKEPORT, Calif. – On the corner of Third and Forbes streets in downtown Lakeport, standing just a tree away from the Lake County Veterans Services building and across the street from the courthouse, is a little building that contains valuable resources offered free to the community.

The Lake County Law Library is one of such facilities serving the 58 counties in California because a state law enacted in 1891 mandates that every California county has a fully operational public law library. But they are not government-owned or supported.

The Law Library is an independent public agency, but not a government agency. The library does not sell books. It is funded partly by donations, but the bulk of its funding comes from a small fixed portion of the court filing fees.

“We are not funded by the taxpayers,” said Casse Waldman Forczek, the Law Library's librarian. “Whatever income that comes in here we use to update our collection and to purchase reference books and reference materials, supplies and furniture and to pay for our online services and other expenses.”

The Law Library and the resources it contains have become more important in recent years as the local courts have seen an increase in self-represented litigants, according to Lake County Superior Court officials.

Waldman Forczek, the law library's librarian for the last two years, is a fastidious – some might say fussy – overseer of this county resource open to everyone, from Philadelphia lawyers in town on major cases, to do-it-yourselfers.

“If someone wants to find out about a barking dog they can go into 2013 Deering's California Desktop Code Series Index,” she said. “It tells where the code is and exactly what the current code is for barking dogs.”

The Lake County Law Library has a collection of approximately 7,300 books. Compared to the state law library in Sacramento or the state's largest county law library in Los Angeles – which boasts an imposing near-million books and documents – Lake County's law library is but a blip on the monitor.

But the cyber age and access to the World Wide Web have vastly expanded the little library's resources.

“Everything is on the Internet and it's just a matter of where to find it, using our online subscriptions,” said Waldman Forczek.

“But our top priority is to maintain the most widely used legal resources in printed book form on our shelves for our patrons – both attorneys and non-attorneys,” she said.

To name a few, those resources include California's Deering's Codes, California Forms of Pleading and Practice, Continuing Education of the Bar titles, Rutters Group Practice Guides, Witkins and official appellate and Supreme Court reports.

Putting all the information needed at the library users' fingertips are three programs subscribed to by virtually all law libraries including:

• Lexis Nexis Online “Patriot Plan”: A monthly subscription program with a comprehensive database covering all Supreme Court, appellate, federal and state cases, decisions and laws.
• EBSCO Nolo: Nolo eBooks are accessible from any outside computer or cell phone through a link on the Lake County Law Library Web site home page, http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Law_Library.htm ; and
• CEB Onlaw: The entire collection of Continuing Education of the Bar Practice guides, with links to cases and laws/codes, covering all practice major areas of law such as, among others, criminal civil and family law.

But, noted Waldman Forczek, many of these guides are accessible at the Lake County Law Library only as binders.

“We just do not have enough shelf space to carry them all,” she said. “However, it is always wise to double-check printed resources online to ensure the most recent information.”

There also is a sophisticated system that enables the efficient flow of professional information between law librarians throughout Northern and Southern California – namely the statewide nonprofit Council of California County Law Librarians, as well as Northern California Association of Law Librarians in which the Lake County Law Library maintains active memberships – and nationwide.

“Law librarians from all over get together for multiday conferences and seminars,” said Waldman Forczek, “and for any research question that needs to be answered … For example, I can get on the Internet to my network of 56 other county law libraries in Council of California County Law Librarians or Northern California Association of Law Librarians and send a message saying, 'We need this article from a particular law journal and we don't carry the journal. Can you help?' And sure enough we get an answer.”

The Lake County Law Library's most engaging nook for both lawyers and nonlawyers holds an exhaustive Nolo Self-Help Book Collection of about 350 books and brochures – all donated by the late Steve Elias. Several titles were either authored or collected by Elias, himself.

Before his death in December 2011, Elias was on the Lake County Law Library Board of Trustees and was a Lake County pro bono attorney, radio talk program host and a founder of the Lake County Community Radio station, 88.1 FM.

Elias' donated book collection continues to be a valuable aid to laypeople in understanding legal issues in plain English, which is why such eye-catching titles as “Beat Your Ticket” are in his collection.

He also championed mediation for bankruptcy and foreclosure cases and is credited with spearheading the bringing of 21st century law to Lake County through his online subscription to the Nolo eBooks Legal Information Reference Center.

While every treatise on jurisprudence written by famed legal authors that are sought by patrons won't be found on the shelves of the Lake County Law Library, those patrons can request their acquisition.

“… And my board of trustees will determine whether I should or should not purchase the title during our monthly board meetings,” Waldman Forczek added.

The Law Library Board of Trustees currently includes several of Lake County's judges, including Andrew Blum, Michael Lunas and Richard Martin, as well as local attorneys Mike Ewing and Dennis Fordham, and the newest member, Shanda Harry, a deputy county counsel.

Harry succeeds to the board seat previously held by Bob Bridges, a newly retired senior county counsel, who served on the Law Library Board of Trustees for 15 years and resigned from the board at the time of his retirement.

Bridges observed that while research at the Law Library has increasingly become electronic, the board has agreed with his view that books are better for everyone to use, as they don't require special training.

“We want to have people come in off the street and have books that they can read and use, so we maintain a basic collection,” he said.

“For people who are trained and can use the computer it's an excellent research tool, but not everybody in the public is trained to do it,” he added. “The Law Library has to be there for a base of people. It's not just for unique lawyers. It's there for a lot of people to use.”

The library, located at 175 Third St., is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and is closed on county holidays.

For more information about the library, visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Law_Library.htm or call 707-263-2205.

Email John Lindblom at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

The next time you step onto an airplane, consider the following: In any given year, the pilot of your aircraft probably absorbs as much radiation as a worker in a nuclear power plant.

And you are about to follow him wherever he goes.

The FAA classifies pilots as “occupational radiation workers.” Flying high above Earth with little atmosphere to protect them, they can absorb significant doses of cosmic rays and solar radiation.

During a typical polar flight from Chicago to Beijing, for instance, a pilot is exposed to the equivalent of two chest x-rays. Multiplied over the course of a career, this can cause problems such as increased risk of cancer and possibly cataracts.

Passengers have reason to be concerned, too.

“A 100,000 mile frequent flyer gets about 20 chest x-rays,” points out Chris Mertens, a senior research scientist at NASA Langley Research Center. “This is true regardless of the latitude of the flights.”

It’s worth noting that even people on the ground absorb some radiation.

Cosmic rays and their by-products are so powerful, they can reach all the way down to Earth’s surface, giving a person at sea level the equivalent of one chest x-ray every 10 days or so.

On a plane, however, dose rates increase 10-fold or more. The exposure depends on factors ranging from the altitude and latitude of the flight path (polar routes are irradiated most) to sunspot counts and solar activity (a powerful solar storm can boost radiation levels a hundredfold).

To help airline companies safeguard passengers and personnel, NASA is developing an experimental tool to predict exposures in real time.

Mertens is the PI of the system, called NAIRAS – short for “Nowcast of Atmosphere Ionizing Radiation for Aviation Safety.”

Mertens notes that the number of flights over the poles has skyrocketed in recent years. Airlines prefer polar routes for international travel because they are shorter and have reduced head winds, creating fuel savings of tens of thousands of dollars per flight.

However, Earth's poles are where the radiation problem can be most severe. Our planet's magnetic field funnels cosmic rays and solar energetic particles over the very same latitudes where airlines want to fly.

On a typical day when the sun is quiet, dose rates for international flights over the poles are 3 to 5 times higher than domestic flights closer to the equator.

If a flight controller wants to know the situation around the poles right now, NAIRAS can help. It is, essentially, an online global map of radiation dose rates for different flight paths and altitudes.

Maps are produced in near real-time by a computer at Langley, which combines cutting-edge physics codes with realtime measurements of solar activity and cosmic rays.

“We are still in an experimental phase,” he said. “The ultimate goal of the NAIRAS effort is to adopt a paradigm similar to terrestrial weather forecasting.”

The value to the airlines is clear. The ability to fly over the poles can save $35,000 to $40,000 per flight in fuel costs alone. On the other hand, altering course to avoid a polar radiation storm can cost as much as $100,000. A forecasting tool like NAIRAS can help the airlines make the right decision.

Of even greater importance to Mertens is the human factor.

“Back in 2004, I went to a workshop on space weather and aviation. A pilot from American Airlines stood up to address the audience: ‘Look,’ he said, ‘we are classified as radiation workers, we are the most exposed than any other group, yet we know the least of all the groups.’ That was a turning point for me. I wanted to do something to help pilots better understand what they are flying into.”

And so NAIRAS was born.

Mertens and colleagues are about to publish a paper in the journal Space Weather comparing NAIRAS predictions to actual radiation measurements onboard airplanes.

“The results are encouraging,” he said, “but we still have work to do.”

Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – How challenging is it to package up not one, but two airplanes for a long ocean voyage from Lakeport to Australia?

The staff at local business Lake Aero Styling and Repair (LASAR) recently found out.

After many hours of specialized work by the skilled staff at LASAR, the single engine airplanes were ready to be shipped to their new owners in Australia.

Paul Loewen, owner of LASAR, oversaw the entire project.

“One of the airplanes was here for a month-long retrofit and upgrade of its radios equipment and navigation screens,” said Loewen.

It was flown to Lake County from Portland, Ore., by local pilot Damon Trimble.

The second aircraft, a unique Porsche powered turbo-charged Mooney, began its journey in Wisconsin.

Both Mooney airplanes were partially disassembled and carefully loaded onto racks that were specially designed to support the two aircraft bodies, wings, and tails and to fit into the cargo container.

Hamish Ramsey, owner of a Mooney service center in Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia, spent three months in Lakeport managing the retrofit project and designing the special shipping racks.

“We continue to appreciate the excellent service by the creative, talented, and friendly folks at Lampson Field for our overseas aviation requirements,” Ramsey said.

Ramsey and the two Mooney aircraft are now on their way to Australia.

Aircraft businesses at Lampson Field support our local economy by attracting a wide variety of aviation customers from both U.S. and international locations, including Europe, Asia, Africa, Canada, and South America.

“Virtually all of our business is from outside of Lake County,” reports Steve Culbertson, owner of a Lampson aircraft repair company.

Tom Wasson, owner of a general maintenance shop, agrees and points out that seven of the eight airplanes currently in his shop are from out of the county.

“Our local aircraft businesses have earned a reputation for excellence,” Loewen noted. “In addition to a large number of highly qualified technicians and employees at the Lampson businesses, there is enough business brought into Lake County to keep several local pilots busy providing delivery services from all corners of the world.”

Yankee Composites owner Rick Anderson added that his shop that specializes in the repair and maintenance of composite aircraft has almost all of its customers come from outside of Lake County.

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – The Animal Coalition of Lake County held its annual Halloween fundraiser on Friday, packing the house at the Moose Lodge in Clearlake Oaks.

The dinner and dance featured drawings, a silent auction and a costume contest that saw a cave couple take the prize.

Proceeds from the event will be directed toward the coalition's efforts to provide low cost spay and neuter vouchers for seniors and low income residents of Clearlake, as well as animal rescue and fostering services.

In their leopard print pelts and bones in their ratted-hair, caveman Jim Dvorak and his cave wife Carol of Lakeport claimed the popular vote for best costume. Jim Dvorak said he and his wife are regular guests of the coalition.

"We come to the Animal Coalition dance because it's such a good event and a good cause, and we're animals ourselves," Jim Dvorak said, waving his cave club in the air.

Jim and Pattie Johnson said they always have a good time at the event.

The San Mateo couple, dressed as dragons, were among a party of eight and guests of Bob Sullivan, president of Kono Tayee and avid supporter of the Animal Coalition.

Peacocks and butterflies, jailbirds and scallywags, witches, vampires and even the King Elvis himself joined in the festivities, including the interactive performance of the evening's musical entertainment, The Charlie Baker Band.

Email Denise Rockestein at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

The ozone hole that forms each year in the stratosphere over Antarctica was slightly smaller in 2013 than average in recent decades, according to NASA satellite data.

The ozone hole is a seasonal phenomenon that starts to form during the Antarctic spring (August and September). The September-October 2013 average size of the hole was 8.1 million square miles.

For comparison, the average size measured since the mid-1990s when the annual maximum size stopped growing is 8.7 million square miles.

However, the size of the hole in any particular year is not enough information for scientists to determine whether a healing of the hole has begun.

“There was a lot of Antarctic ozone depletion in 2013, but because of above average temperatures in the Antarctic lower stratosphere, the ozone hole was a bit below average compared to ozone holes observed since 1990,” said Paul Newman, an atmospheric scientist and ozone expert at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

The ozone hole forms when the sun begins rising again after several months of winter darkness.

Polar-circling winds keep cold air trapped above the continent, and sunlight-sparked reactions involving ice clouds and chlorine from manmade chemicals begin eating away at the ozone.

Most years, the conditions for ozone depletion ease before early December when the seasonal hole closes.

Levels of most ozone-depleting chemicals in the atmosphere have gradually declined as the result of the 1987 Montreal Protocol, an international treaty to protect the ozone layer by phasing out production of ozone-depleting chemicals.

As a result, the size of the hole has stabilized, with variation from year to year driven by changing meteorological conditions.

The single-day maximum area this year was reached on Sept. 16 when the maximum area reached 9.3 million square miles, about equal to the size of North America.

The largest single-day ozone hole since the mid-1990s was 11.5 million square miles on Sept. 9, 2000.

Science teams from NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have been monitoring the ozone layer from the ground and with a variety of instruments on satellites and balloons since the 1970s.

These ozone instruments capture different aspects of ozone depletion. The independent analyses ensure that the international community understands the trends in this critical part of Earth's atmosphere.

The resulting views of the ozone hole have differences in the computation of the size of the ozone hole, its depth, and record dates.

NASA observations of the ozone hole during 2013 were produced from data supplied by the Ozone Monitoring Instrument on NASA's Aura satellite and the Ozone Monitoring and Profiler Suite instrument on the NASA-NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership satellite.

Long-term satellite ozone-monitoring instruments have included the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer, the second generation Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet Instrument, the Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment series of instruments, and the Microwave Limb Sounder.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has a big new group of dogs available for adoption this week.

The dogs range in age from 11 months to 3 years, and include Chihuahua mixes to larger breeds, including mastiff and German Shepherd

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.

In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .

The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

Pomeranian mix

This male Pomeranian mix is 3 years old.

He weighs 12 pounds and has a short coat. Shelter staff did not report if he has been altered.

Find him in kennel No. 5, ID No. 38280.

Hound-shepherd mix pup

This male hound-shepherd mix pup is 11 weeks old.

He has a short brown coat and gold eyes, weighs 6 pounds and has been neutered.

He's in kennel No. 8a, ID No. 38178.

Hound-shepherd mix pup

This male hound-shepherd mix pup is 11 weeks old.

He has a short brown coat and gold eyes, weighs 6 pounds and has been neutered.

He's in kennel No. 8b, ID No. 38179.

Male German Shepherd mix

This male German Shepherd mix is 2 years old.

He has a short brown and black coat, weighs nearly 80 pounds and has been neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 11, ID No. 38245.

'K.C.'

“K.C.” is a 2-year-old blue heeler mix.

She weighs 30 pounds, has a short tricolor coat and has been spayed.

Shelter staff said she is good with other dogs, and is quiet and calm.

She's in kennel No. 12, ID No. 38218.

Mastiff-shar pei mix

This male mastiff-shar pei is 2 years old.

He has a short black coat and it was not reported if he was neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 13, ID No. 38288.

Female Labrador Retriever mix

This female Labrador Retriever is 1 year old.

She has a short black coat and weighs nearly 56 pounds. Shelter staff did not report if she has been altered.

She's in kennel No. 27, ID No. 38257.

Female Labrador Retriever mix

This female Labrador Retriever is 6 months old.

She has a short black coat with white markings and is not yet spayed.

Find her in kennel No. 29, ID No. 38319.

Terrier-Chihuahua mix

This male terrier-Chihuahua mix is 1 year old.

He has a short fawn-colored coat. It was not reported if he has been altered.

He's in kennel No. 32a, ID No. 38295.

Terrier-Chihuahua mix

This female terrier-Chihuahua mix is 1 year old.

She has a short fawn-colored coat; shelter staff did not report if she has been spayed.

Find her in kennel No. 32b, ID No. 38296.

Terrier-Chihuahua mix

This female terrier-Chihuahua mix is 1 year old.

She has a short fawn-colored coat. It was not reported if she has been spayed.

Find her in kennel No. 32c, ID No. 38297.

Boxer-pit bull terrier mix

This male boxer-pit bull terrier mix is 1 year old.

He has a short brown brindle mix coat, weighs 72 pounds and has been neutered.

He's in kennel No. 33, ID No. 35680 .

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Office of Education’s AmeriCorps Program is partnering with Lake County CAN! in holding its annual Make A Difference Day nonperishable food drive on Saturday.

Make A Difference Day is a national day of service during which volunteers across the county will take part in service projects to make a difference here in Lake County.

Volunteers will be at locations around Lake County collecting food and at several locations assisting on community improvements projects.

Some of the AmeriCorps food collection sites include Sentry Market in Nice, Foods Etc. IGA in Clearlake, Grocery Outlet in Lakeport and Clearlake, and Bruno’s Foods and Safeway in Lakeport.

Lake Transit Authority will furnish two buses to be parked at Clearlake Grocery Outlet and Lakeport Grocery Outlet stores for the day, where volunteers will be on hand to collect food and stuff the buses with donations.

This marks the 13th year of the event. Since its inception, more than 48,000 pounds of food have been collected and distributed to Lake County families.

All proceeds stay in Lake County and will go to Lake County CAN! for distribution to food cupboards/pantries and food baskets for Lake County residents.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Lake County Sheriff's deputy on Thursday arrested a Sonoma man after a traffic stop that led to the discovery of a pound of methamphetamine, which officials said resulted in the largest single seizure of the drug in the county this year.

Luis Fernando Valdivia-Castellanos, 22, was taken into custody following the stop, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.

At 3:50 p.m. Thursday a patrol deputy working the Middletown area noticed a Mazda RX8 exhibiting several vehicle code violations and conducted an enforcement stop in the area of Highway 29 near Hidden Valley Road, Brooks said.

The deputy contacted the driver and solo occupant of the vehicle, who he identified as Valdivia-Castellanos. Brooks said the deputy noticed a butterfly style knife sitting on the front seat in plain view.

A sheriff’s narcotics detection K9 unit arrived on scene. Brooks said the deputy deployed his K9 partner to conduct an exterior sniff of the vehicle.

As the K9 approached the driver’s door of the vehicle, she produced a positive alert, indicating there was the odor of a controlled substance present. She also alerted on the trunk and passenger’s door, according to Brooks.

The deputy opened the door of the vehicle and let the K9 have access to the interior. Brooks said the dog immediately jumped in the back seat and alerted to the floor directly behind the driver’s seat.

Deputies conducted a search of the vehicle and located a laptop case sitting on the floor behind the driver’s seat. Inside the case was a plastic Tupperware container, which Brooks said contained one pound of crystal methamphetamine, which was seized as evidence.

Valdivia-Castellanos also had a total of $1,041 in US currency, which was seized pending asset forfeiture proceedings, Brooks said.

Valdivia-Castellanos was arrested for possession of a controlled substance for sale and the transportation of a controlled substance. He was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked, Brooks said.

Bail was set at $35,000. Jail records indicated Valdivia-Castellanos later posted the required percentage of bail land was released.

According to the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force, this was the single largest methamphetamine seizure this year.

The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.

It’s that time year again, the Halloween celebration. October conjures up some frightening images in our mind – witches circling the sky, goblins walking the streets and bats emerging from caves.

In reality, it’s a month to celebrate the gorgeous weather, the harvest of many favorite fruits and vegetables and the changing landscape.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) reminds residents of another reason to celebrate this time of year – those same bats.

They are one of the most misunderstood groups of mammals and, in fact, perform an important service.

“Because bats are nocturnal, fly and have teeth, many people fear them. What the public doesn’t realize is that bat populations play a huge role in controlling insects,” said CDFW Senior Environmental Scientist Scott Osborn.

“Bats have amazing abilities – they are the only mammals capable of true flight,” Osborn added. “Their unique ultrasonic sonar system enables them to navigate and to catch insects in flight in complete darkness. Once people get to know bats, fear gives way to admiration.”

There are many misconceptions about bats.

Many think they are blind, prefer to feast on the blood of prey (animal and human) and attack people.

Actually, they see almost as well as us, eat flower nectar and insects (up to 600 mosquitos in one hour!) and they want nothing more than to be left alone.

California has 25 species of bats that eat tons of insects each night.

Some bats are migratory and just pass through California to warmer climates in winter. Others stick around all year and hibernate in old barns, under bridges, and in caves and mines.

As mammals, they feed their young by nursing until they are old enough to fend for themselves.

The average lifespan of a bat is 30 years or longer and most California bat species could fit in the palm of your hand.

Helping bats

Bats have one young per year and their low reproduction rate puts them at risk of extinction.

The fungal disease White-Nose Syndrome, which first appeared in New York in 2006, also threatens bat populations throughout North America.

Although the disease has not yet been detected in the western states, if it should reach California many of our most sensitive bat species could be drastically impacted.

As with any wildlife, it is best to keep a respectful distance from injured or sick bats. There are many wildlife rescue groups in California that help and treat injured bats.

You should never pick up a downed bat with your bare hands, especially because some bats, like other animals, might have rabies.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A fundraiser next month will help a family whose son is fighting brain cancer.

The tri tip barbecue dinner and silent auction to benefit Ronnie Dekeyser III and his family will take place on Saturday, Nov. 9, at the Lakeport Elks Lodge, 3775 Lakeshore Blvd.

Ronnie, 11, was diagnosed with diffuse pontine glioma, a cancerous brain tumor, in 2007 when he was 5 years old.

For the past three years the tumor has been inactive, but four months ago the tumor became active again, and it's inoperable.

This fundraiser is to raise money to help this courageous boy fulfill his wish list.

Ronnie likes dirt bike riding, camping and fishing, NASCAR racing and monster trucks. He wants to go on a hot air balloon ride, ride the Skunk Train and go to Chuck E. Cheese.

Recently he became an honorary police officer with the Lakeport Police Department, as Lake County News has reported.

The auction will start at 3 p.m., with food service to begin at 4 p.m. and continue until it runs out.

There also will be raffles as well as a silent auction.

Organizers are looking for local businesses to donate for the silent auction. Any and all donations would be much appreciated.

For more information please call Carla Gallagher at 707-245-0283, Jo Ann Gettman at 707-263-3956 or Lakeport Elks Lodge at 707-263-8422.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Lake County's newest stoplight is about to light up.

Caltrans said the new traffic signal at Highway 53 and Olympic Drive in Clearlake will be activated on Tuesday, Oct. 29.

The stoplight is part of a larger highway project that also includes widening shoulders, adding and lengthening turn pockets at intersections, and repaving more than four miles of Highway 53 from 40th Avenue to just south of Route 20.

Due to a high collision at the intersection, Caltrans approved the stoplight project in 2010.

Caltrans anticipates the project will be completed later this fall.

The contractor on the project is Teichert Construction of Davis.

For the most current road information on all California Staate highways, please call 1-800-427-7623 (1-800-GAS-ROAD) or visit www.dot.ca.gov .