The fire prevention measures went into effect Monday morning and continue through the end of fire season, according to Forest Supervisor Tom Contreras.

The forest has already experienced 58 wildland fires in June and July. Nine of those are still actively burning in the Soda and Yolla Bolly Complexes.

The forest is putting the temporary fire restrictions into place about three weeks earlier than normal this year to lessen the danger of human-caused fires. Extremely low snow and rain levels and recent hot, dry summer weather have caused the vegetation to dry out. Hot weather is expected to continue through July, August and September, resulting in increased fire danger.

"By concentrating open campfires in designated recreation sites it should help minimize the potential of accidental ignition of wildland fires," Contreras said.

Under these fire restrictions, Mendocino National Forest visitors will be allowed to continue to ride off highway vehicles on designated roads and trails, provided they are equipped with the required spark arresting devices.

Persons with valid personal use wood cutting permits may use chain saws only on established roads and designated trails; they will need to take the wood to be cut to those areas. All engines must be equipped with spark-arresting devices.

Similar restrictions have already gone into effect on other nearby Forests. Each forest, however, has slightly different restrictions, so visitors are urged to contact the forest they plan to visit to learn the measures required at that location.

Effective at 6 a.m. July 14, the temporary fire restrictions on the Mendocino National Forest will:

• Limit open campfires, which include charcoal fires, to developed campgrounds and some other designated fire safe recreation sites within the Mendocino National Forest (listed below). No campfire permits are needed for fires in developed campgrounds, but are required for the other designated firesafe recreational sites. These other sites will be marked with yellow signs and public informationposters. Lanterns or portable stoves using gas, jellied petroleum or pressurized liquid fuel will be allowed in all other areas on the national forest, BUT the person must have a current valid California Campfire Permit in their possession. Barbecue grills using briquettes are NOT permitted in these other areas. People should check with the office of the Forest or District they will be visiting to ensure they will haveaccess to a particular area.

• Limit smoking to enclosed vehicles, buildings and designated recreational sites.

• Prohibit the operation of internal combustion engines except on established roads and designated trails.

• Prohibit welding or operating an acetylene or other torch with an open flame.

• Prohibit the use of explosives.

Persons who have a special use permit from the Forest Service specifically authorizing the prohibited activities will be allowed to continue.

California Campfire Permits are free and available at all Forest Service, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), and Bureau of Land Management offices, and from campground hosts and most Forest Service field personnel. The campfire permit ensures the recipient gets information about the terms of the permit and the current conditions of vegetation. By accepting the permit, the permittee agrees to:

• Clear all flammable material away from the campfire or stove for a minimum of five feet in all directions.

• Prevent escape of the fire and have a responsible person in attendance at all times.

• Have a shovel available at the camp site for preparing and extinguishing campfires.

• Drown the campfire with water and be sure all burning material has been extinguished and cool. Feel the coals and ashes and make sure no roots are burning. Never bury a fire with dirt – it may smolder and break out again. Crush out cigarettes on something that does not burn, such as a rock (not on a log or on the ground).

Designated campgrounds where open campfires are allowed and California Campfire Permits are not needed are:

• Covelo Ranger District: Eel River, Little Doe, Howard Lake and Hammerhorn Lake campgrounds.

• Grindstone Ranger District: north end campgrounds: Whitlock, Kingsley Glade, Sugarfoot Glade, Three Prong, Wells Cabin, Sugar Springs, and Red Bluff Recreation Area.

• Grindstone Ranger District south end campgrounds: Big Springs Day Use Area, Letts Lake, Mill Valley, Dixie Glade, Plaskett Meadows, Masterson, Little Stony, Grey Pine, Fouts Springs, Davis Flat, South Fork, Cedar Camp, Mill Creek, North Fork and Old Mill.

• Upper Lake Ranger District campgrounds: Fuller Grove, Fuller Group Camp, Navy Camp, Pogie Point, Oak Flat, Sunset, Middle Creek, Deer Valley, Bear Creek, Penny Pines, Lower Nye and Lake Pillsbury Summer Home Sites.

Other recreation sites are designated as fire safe (open fires allowed), and where Campfire Permits are required are:

• Upper Lake Ranger District: Pine Mountain Hunter Camp, Pinnacle Rock Camp, Spruce Grove Camp, Sanhedrin Hunter Camp, Dry Oak Camp, Lakeview Camp and Pine Mountain Lookout.

• Covelo Ranger District: Surveyor Camp, Rock Cabin, Green Springs, Rattle Snake and Post Camp.

• Grindstone Ranger District: Dead Mule, Kenny Camp, Del Harleson, Brewers Oak, One Bee, Black Jack, Side Rod, Government Flat, January Camp, Post Pile, Williams Camp, Howell Saddle, Big Stump, Rocky Cabin, Browns Camp, Ides Cove Horse Packer and Back Packer Camps.

Persons without a permit may be subject to a fine, six months in jail, or both. If a person is found to have caused a wildfire anywhere on the national forest, they can be held liable for suppressioncosts.

For more information about the use of fire on the National Forest contact any Mendocino National Forest office or facility, or call 530-934-3316, TTY 530-934-7724.

Additional information can also be obtained from the Mendocino National Forest Web site at

www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino.

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Mendo-Lake District Director Gina-Belle Smith, Award Chairman Jo Shaul and Clearlake Trowel and Trellis Garden Club President Claire Grieve.

LAKE COUNTY – Clearlake Trowel and Trellis Garden Club, a member of the California Garden Club Inc., won the Rosette Sweepstakes Award this year, plus 11 other awards.

Categories included Publicity, Wildflower Photography, Backyard Habitat, Touring, Achievement, Horticulture and other Photo Collection awards.

Nine members attended the Mendo-Lake District Garden Club meeting held in Fort Bragg at the Mendocino-Coast Botanical Gardens.

Twenty-one books were submitted. Clearlake Trowel and Trellis Garden Club President Claire Grieve received the 12 Awards and “Golden Gnomes” on behalf of the club.

Jo Shaul and Mary Secord worked many hours encouraging club members and getting the books together and mailed on time.

Clearlake Trowel and Trellis Garden Club is accepting new members, men and women. They meet the third Tuesday of the month, September through June, at the Scott’s Valley Women’s Club House, 2298 Hendricks Road, in Lakeport.

They are having their planning/organizing meeting for the 2008-09 year, at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 15 at Mendo-Lake Credit Union on 11^th Street in Lakeport. Members are encouraged to attend and visitors are welcome.

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Esther Oertel of Hidden Valley Lake is the new Friendly Visitor Program director. Courtesy photo.

CLEARLAKE – Esther Oertel of Hidden Valley Lake is the new program director for the Friendly Visitor Program where volunteers offer friendship, understanding and companionship on a regular basis to South Lake County seniors having limited access to outside activities.

The free program is administered by Konocti Senior Support, Inc., which also provides senior peer counseling throughout Lake County.

“As the Friendly Visitor Program Director, Esther will expand communities of Friendly Visitors,” said Lawrence Grant, board president, Konocti Senior Support Inc. “We currently serve seniors in Clearlake Oaks, Spring Valley, Clearlake, Lower Lake, Kelseyville and Middletown.”

Program volunteers are trained and participate in monthly supervision meetings.

Oertel earned her Associate of Arts Degree from Santa Rosa Junior College. She formerly worked for Queen of Peace Catholic Church, Clearlake.

She can be reached at 995-1417.

Konocti Senior Support, Inc., incorporated in 1995, is a nonprofit public service corporation dedicated to enhancing seniors’ quality of life. All services are free.

For more information, contact Gwen Snyder at 995-1417.

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LAKEPORT – The 79^th annual Lake County Rodeo took place Friday and Saturday, and was accompanied Saturday by the second annual All Horse Parade through downtown Lakeport.

A few hundred people lined the west side of Main Street on Saturday for the parade, which featured the

Clear Lake Junior Horsemen Drill Team and the Diablo Ladies Drill Team among others.

Photographer Harold LaBonte captured the horses and riders as they made their way along the route.

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He'll be featured in a call-in interview show on Channel 8 beginning at 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, July 16.

Markowski will talk about the station's mission and answer questions from callers during the show, which will be broadcast from Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

Calls can be directed to interviewer Dante DeAmicis at 408-482-0921.

For matters relating to the station, Markowski can be reached at 994-8201 Extension 109, via e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at the station's Web site, www.laketv8.com.

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Kimberly Walker and one of her Suffolk/Hampshire-cross lambs. Courtesy photo.

Hi, my name is Kimberly Walker. I am 16 years old and this is my seventh year in 4-H.

I can’t wait for the start of the fair on Aug. 28. I will be bringing my Suffolk/Hampshire cross lambs Chips and Salsa.

I have been exercising them and monitoring their weight gain so that they are the appropriate weight by the fair. In my sheep project, we’ve learned all about different breeds and diseases as well as things like how to shear our sheep, showmanship techniques and lamb science.

This year the fair’s theme is “1950’s: Let The Good Times Roll,” so we're all very busy planning our educational displays to put by our animal pens at the livestock barn.

But getting to the fair isn’t just about raising our animals – no, we also have to attend at least 80 percent of our monthly club meetings and 100 percent of our animal project meetings. We also have to do a presentation at either a project meeting, club meeting or our countywide presentation day event – whether that be an educational display, a presentation, a speech or a play.

This year my brother, friends and I earned a gold award doing a play that was a twist on “American Idol” and “America’s Got Talent,” and it was a lot of fun. We also have to send out buyer letters and market our animals individually.

There are multiple ways to purchase animals at auction and it is very simple to buy an animal with another person and split the meat and the cost. For more information on this, contact the fair office at (707) 263-6181.

This will be my second year taking two market lambs to the Lake County Fair. In previous years at the fair I have shown my two Mini Rex rabbits and entered various still exhibits. This past year I was president of the Kelseyville 4-H Club. I also participated in the scrap booking, horse and leadership projects. I am also Teen leader of the countywide shooting sport project. This coming year I will be working very hard on my All Star project.

Outside of 4-H I am involved in the Konocti Rod and Gun Club, Lake County B.S.A. Venture Crew No. 44 and I volunteer at Wiloth Equine Center in Lower Lake.

My friends and I have been working hard all year to learn about our animals and prepare them for the fair. So please come and support FFA and other 4-Hers like myself by purchasing a high-quality, grain-fed, hand-raised animal at the Junior Livestock Auction on Saturday, Aug. 30 at 1 p.m.

The 4-H Youth Development program is a part of the University of California Cooperative Extension. For more information contact U.C. Cooperative Extension, 883 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport, telephone 263-6838.

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