Lake Co Community Co-op guest speaker, Laura Stec, discussing the "global warming diet" presentation to an audience in Clearlake, which was also filmed and appeared live on local channel TV8. Courtesy photo.

CLEARLAKE – The Lake Co Community Co-op (LCCC) hosted culinary chef and author, Laura Stec, on June 13 to speak about the “global warming diet,” which is subject of her book, “Cool Cuisine: Taking the Bite Out of Global Warming.”

Held the first time at the Clearlake City Hall, and filmed live on TV8 by co-op member, Allen Markowski, the meeting gave Stec an opportunity to give a lively and informative slide presentation and talk on how our food choices affect the health of our planet.

At the same time she accentuated the importance of valuing the energy our foods provide.

She offered culinary tips on meal prep and on flavor enhancements to make meal planning easier and eating more exciting and fulfilling.

Stec's book is available at Wild About Books in Clearlake. If you missed the presentation, watch for it soon to appear again on TV8.

Thanks to the LCCC, Wild About Books, Clearlake City Hall, and Allen Markowski for making this event possible and visible to the community.

Celebrating one and one half years in existence, the Lake County Community Co-op envisions cultivating an evolving community by nurturing values of social, economic and environmental responsibility. The co-op wishes to support our local farmers and producers and provide a forum for community activities.

For more information or to become a member of the LCCC, follow the links at http://lakeco-op.org or call 707-993-4270.

Laura Stec explaining how our eating habits can negatively affect our ecosystem. Courtesy photo.

There will be a Croquet Tournament (wear your sporty whites!) and a barbecue.

For only $10 per person the menu includes old-fashioned lemonade, chicken and fruit kebabs with apricot glaze, gingered pork and sweet potato kebabs, toasted coconut rice, and grilled teriyaki veggies.

They will end the event with an ice cream social.

Proceeds benefit the Clearlake Oaks Community Church program. Reserve your ticket at 707-350-3590.

FORTUNA – The third annual California Northern Region Training Conference will be held in Fortuna June 25 through 26 at the River Lodge Conference Center.

Presented by the California Northern Region Land Trusts (CNRLT) Steering Committee, this conference will provide land trust professionals, board members and all other interested persons with training opportunities relevant to land trusts and land conservation in today’s economy.

The 2009 conference topics address basic land trust training, climate change, sustainable forest management, conservation finance and development issues.

Conference registration is currently open to all interested persons.

Registration materials, pricing and the conference schedule are available at www.mendocinolandtrust.org .

Contact Jenny Hall at the Mendocino Land Trust at 707-962-0470 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for more information or to register.

Wiggins, who represents California’s Second Senate District, said she was returning her state-financed automobile and state-issued gasoline credit card because “it is the right thing to do at a time when the people of California are being asked, or forced, to make financial sacrifices during very difficult economic times.”

The state pays up to 90 percent of the monthly cost for legislators to lease a vehicle, or $350, whichever is less. While some lawmakers lease more expensive cars, Wiggins has driven a 2007 Honda Civic Hybrid, for which she has paid an extra $34 a month above the amount paid by the state.

Legislators also use a state-issued card to pay for gasoline, which Wiggins said she will no longer need.

The annual cost for legislators’ vehicle leases, gasoline and repairs is a little over $1 million, a fraction of the state’s current $24 billion deficit.

In addition, Wiggins said she would be forgoing about 20 percent of the daily per diem that legislators receive to cover the cost of living expenses while they are working in Sacramento. On average, per diem totals approximately $35,000 a year.

Wiggins said that “it makes no sense to ask millions of Californians to accept cutbacks in pay or services without cutting back ourselves, and these are the kinds of steps we can take to share in the sacrifices that we are asking so many others to make.”

Finally, Wiggins also was among those advocating that senators accept voluntary reductions in their own salaries.

Senate President Pro-Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) announced June 16 that he was encouraging his colleagues to make voluntary pay cuts of 5 percent. Wiggins has moved to reduce her own pay by 5 percent, effective June 1.

The Second Senate District includes portions or all of Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.

Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 20

– A highway widening project from Government Street to Rancheria Road will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate

15-minute delays. Contractor – Argonaut Constructors of Santa Rosa.

– PG&E of Eureka has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for tree trimming from 0.2 mile west of Bartlett Springs Road to 0.4 mile east of the junction of Route 20/53 beginning Friday, June 19. Work hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. Intermittent one-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Caltrans will continue routine maintenance from Ogden Road to Island Drive. Work hours are 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate

10-minute delays.

– AT&T of Ukiah has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility repairs 0.5 mile west of Gladys Street through Friday, June 19. Work hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 5-minute delays.

– PG&E of Eureka has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for tree trimming from Long Valley Road to the North Fork Cache Creek Bridge beginning Friday, June 19. Work hours are 9 a.m. to

3 p.m., weekdays. Intermittent one-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

– A roadway realignment project from 1.4 miles east of the North Fork Cache Creek Bridge to 1.6 miles west of Walker Ridge Road will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Argonaut Constructors of Santa Rosa.

Highway 29

– Middletown Central Park Association has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for the Middletown Days Parade between Central Park Road and Wardlaw Street on Saturday, June 20. A road closure will be in effect from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Motorists are advised to use an alternate

route.

– Bridge deck repairs at Kelseyville Creek Bridge will continue. Work hours are 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., Sunday evening through Tuesday morning. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should

anticipate 15-minute delays. Contractor – DeBruin Construction Inc. of Stockton.

Highway 175

– Caltrans will continue routine maintenance from the junction of Route 29/175 near Kelseyville to Salmina resort through Friday, June 19. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

– Mendocino Vipassana Foundation of Cobb has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for paving a driveway at Sunrise Vista Resort beginning Friday, June 19. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Middletown Central Park Association has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for the Middletown Days Parade at Santa Clara Street on Saturday, June 20. A road closure will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Motorists are advised to use an alternate route. LC#P175CA

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– Malan and Karen Sjolund of Manchester have been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to install a road approach near Creamery Lane. Work hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Construction of a retaining wall about three miles north of Elk will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should

anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Granite Construction of Ukiah.

– Helen O’Neal of Fort Bragg has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to install a driveway near Simpson Lane. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. A shoulder closure will be in effect. Motorists are advised to drive with caution through the area and may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

– The City of Fort Bragg has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for sidewalk and sewer upgrades from Walnut Street to Pine Avenue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. Southbound traffic will be restricted to one lane. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

– Replacement of Ten Mile River Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect 24 hours per day, from 5 a.m. Monday to 3 p.m. Friday. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Golden State Bridge of Martinez.

– Storm damage repair about nine miles north of Hardy Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists

should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Maggiora and Ghilotti Inc. of San Rafael.

Highway 20

– A highway widening project from Trailer Cove Road to Gravel Pitt Road will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate

10-minute delays. Contractor – Argonaut Constructors of Santa Rosa.

Highway 101

– Storm damage repair from 0.6 mile to 0.8 mile north of Comminsky Station Road will continue. Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may

experience minor traffic slowdowns. Contractor – Mendocino Construction Services of Willits.

– Bridge deck repairs at the Hopland Overhead Bridge will continue. Work hours are 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.

Contractor – DeBruin Construction, Inc. of Stockton.

– A pavement repair project from the West Road Overcrossing to Moore Avenue will continue. Southbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, from midnight Sunday to 3 p.m. Friday. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. Contractor – Professional Concrete Services of Pleasant Hill.

– Roadway repair due to pavement deterioration and a slipout from 1.1 miles north of Reeves Canyon Road to 0.5 mile south of Ridgewood Ranch Road will continue. Traffic will be restricted to one lane

in each direction of travel 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. Contractor – North Bay Construction of Petaluma.

– A pavement repair project from Big Trails Drive to the Long Valley Creek Bridge will continue. Work hours are 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of

travel. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. Contractor – Windsor Fuel Co. of Pittsburg.

Highway 128

– Sierra Nevada World Music Festival of Ryde has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit to hold a festival from the Caltrans Maintenance Station to Hutsell Road. A shoulder closure will be in effect

from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Motorists are advised to drive with caution through the area and may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

– AT&T of Walnut Creek has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility work from the Dry Creek Bridge to 1.6 miles east of Dry Creek Bridge. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 162

– PG&E of Eureka has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for tree trimming from Sand Bank Creek to Short Creek Road. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).

KELSEYVILLE – The Republican Party of Lake County Central Committee will hold its next meeting on Monday, June 22.

The group will meet at Riviera Hills Restaurant at 6 p.m.

Please come and become involved in the important issues facing the county today.

Riviera Hills Restaurant is located at 10200 Fairway Dr., Kelseyville.