Volunteers cook up breakfast on Saturday, August 8, 2009. Courtesy photo.

LAKEPORT – The Kiwanis of Lakeport and the volunteers of the Lakeport Fire Department hosted a most successful fundraiser for the Lake County Channel Cats and Miss Lake County Pageant last Saturday at the Lakeport Firehouse.

Four youth club's funding was sharply curtailed when the Lakeport City Council voted to not issue permits for fireworks sales in the city limits and Channel Cats President Jennifer Hanson, let the public know the impact and their need for financial help through a letter to the editor of the Record-Bee. The Kiwanis Board of Directors voted to offer help to all four organizations affected. The recent pancake breakfast was the result, with the goal met.

All the affected youth organizations were invited but summer vacation derailed the Clear Lake High Boosters Club and the Terrace Middle School Parent Teacher Organization participation.

Hanson reported this fundraiser enables them to make their third and final payment to the city of Lakeport this year, by bringing in over $4,000 from their pancake breakfast ticket sales. She extended her heartfelt thanks to all the swimmers and their families that sold tickets and she will soon announce the winners of the two bicycles donated by K-Mart to the two Channel Cats that sold the most tickets.

With donations from Amerigas for the propane and coffee from Kelsey Creek Coffee Co. the Lakeport Kiwanis were able to keep the breakfast costs down and the profits up. All food products for the more than 450 meals served last Saturday came from local food vendors; with particular thanks to Bruno's Shop Smart for their easy manner in picking up needed supplies as the morning unfolded. Thanks, too, to McDonald's and the Food Outlet for their support.

Fire Chief Ken Wells was particularly pleased the event went off as smoothly as it did and was very happy to hear the financial support for the Channel Cats and Miss Lake County Pageant met their goals.

With Channel Cats, Miss Lake County and the local Girl Scouts helping serve, a tasty breakfast was enjoyed by all that attended. The Kiwanis offered a menu of pancakes, sausage, ham, scrambled eggs, with coffee, orange juice and milk and in the four hours the breakfast was served smiles radiated.

For information about the Channel Cats, contact Jennifer Hanson at 707-263-3131 and for Kiwanis, contact Eric Wheaton at 707-279-4840.

Community members enjoyed breakfast at the Lakeport Fire Protection District in downtown Lakeport on Saturday, August 8, 2009. Courtesy photo.

“We must do everything in our power to provide law enforcement with the resources necessary to protect the public,” said Gov. Schwarzenegger. “Public safety is a top priority and with these bills, we will be able to better monitor and prosecute sex offenders and sexually violent predators to the fullest extent of the law – making our streets safer from these dangerous predators.”

The following bills have been signed into law by the governor:

– SB 583 by Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Murrieta) requires the Department of Justice to record the type of residence at which registered sex offenders reside and to provide the information to state agencies for investigative and law enforcement purposes. This will allow law enforcement officials, licensing authorities and child care officials to cross check the residencies of sex offenders.

– SB 669 by Senator Dennis Hollingsworth (R-Murrieta) provides that a sexually violent predator’s refusal to participate in treatment may be considered evidence in a jury trial to show that his or her condition has not changed.

The event will be held at the Sons of Italy Club Hall, 2817 E. Highway 20 in Nice.

The buffet will include Italian marinade barbecue chicken, green and red sauce rigatoni pasta, fresh salad, garlic bread plus homemade strawberry shortcake for dessert.

The bar is open for socializing at 5 p.m. then dinner will be served at 6 p.m.

Enjoy dancing to the Jim Williams Band right after the meal.

All tickets are $14 at the door.

Everyone is welcome.

For information about this event or renting the hall for your own festivities, call 707-274-9952.

The event, which begins at 5 p.m., will be held at Fetzer Vineyards Valley Oaks, 12901 Old River Road, Hopland.

Tickets available by calling 707-467-1018.

The cost is $75 per person or $600 for reserved table for eight.

Dinner will be catered by Kilkenny Kitchen of Ukiah. There will be local wines, live and silent auctions, and music provided by the Mendocino College Jazz Combo.

The event is sponsored by Mendocino College Foundation and Mendo Lake Credit Union.

ST. HELENA – On Monday, Aug. 10, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), Sonoma Lake Napa Unit will conduct live fire training exercises on the Warm Springs Dam at Lake Sonoma in Northern Sonoma County.

Along with Cal Fire, Healdsburg Fire Department, Geyserville Fire Protection District and the Cloverdale Fire Protection District will also be participating.

A previous training scheduled for this past week was canceled.

This training will provide realistic wildland fire conditions to train firefighters in different tactical operations.

In addition to the training, the area being used for the training burn is on the downstream face of Warm Springs dam.

By burning the 80 acres of grass off the dam, it allows the Army Corps of Engineers to do their annual inspection of the dam face.

The training will begin at 6 p.m. and will continue to approximately 9 p.m.

There will be eight fire engines and a bulldozer participating along with approximately 35 firefighters.