LAKEPORT – The annual Tip-A-Cop fundraiser will take place this Friday, June 26, in Lakeport.

Lakeport Police Chief Kevin Burke and Renee's Cafe, 1005 N. Main, will host the event from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Local law enforcement officers – from the Lakeport Police, California Highway Patrol, the Lake County Sheriff's Office, Lake County Probation the District Attorney's Office – will serve patrons breakfast and lunch.

All tips will benefit Lake County Special Olympics, which is sending six athletes to the Special Olympics Summer Games this weekend in Davis.

“By taking a few minutes once a month to check tire pressure, California drivers can significantly increase the safety and fuel economy of their vehicle,” said Margo Reid Brown, CIWMB Board chair. “This quick and simple maintenance will also extend the life of your tires, helping you save money while reducing the number of scrap tires that must be recycled and kept out of landfills.”

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, keeping tires at the proper inflation level can save drivers $100 to $200 in gas each year; consumer savings also come from less frequent replacement of tires. And this will allow drivers to reduce the generation of scrap tires, currently 44 million a year statewide.

Tires that are properly inflated and maintained also contribute to the overall safety of a vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates under inflated tires contribute to more than 600 fatalities and 33,000 injuries each year.

“Tens of millions of U.S. motorists are currently driving on under inflated tires,” said Daniel Zielinski of the Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA). “It is our hope that by educating drivers about proper tire maintenance, we can help protect them and their passengers.”

RMA recently surveyed more than 5,300 passenger vehicles nationwide and found that almost half had at least one under inflated tire. One in five vehicles had at least one significantly under inflated tire that can compromise safety and waste gas.

In addition to the tire pressure survey, RMA commissioned a poll of registered drivers to gauge their knowledge of proper tire maintenance. While most drivers believe that checking tire pressure is one of the top actions they can take to save fuel, 82 percent do not know how to properly check tires.

To properly check tire pressure, motorists should check once each month; check tires when cold – before the vehicle is driven; and use the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure found on a label located on the driver’s door or door post, or check the owner’s manual.

And with that, live worms of all sizes will race to be become sole champion of the 42nd annual Worm Races during the Independence Day Festivities at Austin Park in Clearlake, to be held Saturday, July 4, following the parade.

Why a worm race? Clear Lake is known as being the “Bass Capital of the West” so worms go pole and hook with bass. Plus it is just plain fun for kids and kids at heart.

Last year more than 300 racers participated in the worm races. This year event organizers are expecting a larger turnout.

Bring your own worm if you wish or rent one from the famed stables of the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce.

This year’s winners in the four age categories – 0 to 5 yrs.; 6 to 10 yrs.; 11 to 17 yrs., 18 yrs. and over – will vie for cash prizes and trophies.

Fun facts about worms: worms do not have eyes but are sensitive to light; more than an hour's worth of exposure to direct light will paralyze a worm; worms have five hearts; worms breathe through their skin; worms can regenerate their tails but cannot grow new heads; the longest earthworm ever recorded was found in South Africa and measured 22 feet long.

For more information about the worm races call the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce, 707-994-3600.