Permits are available at the Upper Lake and Covelo Ranger District offices Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., closed from noon to 1 p.m. Permits must be purchased in person.

Cost is $5 per cord, with a minimum of four cords for a permit ($20), and a maximum of 16 cords per year. Permits are not refundable.

Permittees are allowed to gather down and dead wood only. A map of open areas will accompany the permit. Wet weather conditions can affect the use and travel on forest roads, therefore, the public is encouraged to conduct woodgathering during periods of dry weather in the spring and early summer months.

If you have further questions please call the Upper Lake office at 707-275-2361 voice or 707-275-9524 TTY, Covelo office at 707-983-6118 voice or 707-983-6123 TTY.

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As a result of the Dec. 15 fundraiser, special education children from all seven Lake County school districts now have the opportunity to attend Wiloth Equine Therapy and Riding Center for sessions at no charge. There is correspondence from the school districts that states they are seeing "progress that no one expected."

The goal of “Lake County Cares” is to have every single Special Education student in Lake County able to attend therapeutic riding sessions at no charge by the end of 2009.

For this exciting fundraiser, a three-hour bring your own horse trail ride will be held at Langtry Farms in Middletown. This beautiful 21,000 acre ranch has been cared for and tended to tirelessly, affording ride participants amazing views around each corner. For those who do not own their own horse, free hay rides will be given, culminating with a delicious barbecue provided by Middletown High School FFA.

This summer will also see the beginning of the Wiloth Ridge Horse Camp program. Students from both the therapeutic and mainstream communities will have the opportunity to come together on a weekly basis to experience all that Wiloth Equine has to offer. The motto of the camp is “Through Horses, Children Unite.” Participants will have the opportunity to enjoy horses for a full week, while getting to know their peers in a relaxed, fun environment. Activities including horseback riding, equine education, nature hikes, outdoor education, crafts and much more will be provided for the children.

The Wiloth Equine Therapy and Riding Center is a nonprofit organization. The center’s passion is to bring horses and persons with special needs and those of the mainstream community together, breaking down any boundaries that may be present in everyday life. Anyone who would like to see the program at work is welcome to stop by and visit with the owners. Witnessing these children and horses in person can bring an entirely new perspective to this unique type of therapy.

Wiloth Equine Therapy and Riding Center has been up and running for nearly two years now, thanks in large part to the dedicated staff and volunteers, generous contributions, and unwavering support from the Lake County community. As of this writing, over 3,000 people have come through the gates of the property, and over half of those have been served on a no-charge,scholarship basis.

Also offered at the ranch are mainstream lessons, wilderness trail rides, winery trail rides, horse hauling, birthday parties, and horse boarding. The center is proud to announce as well that 100 percent of the proceeds from all non-therapy activities (i.e., mainstream lessons, trail rides, etc.) go directly into funding the therapeutic program. If you are a Redwood Coast Regional Center client, please contact your service provider to see how you can obtain the services of the Wiloth Equine Therapy and Riding Center.

If you are interested in participating in the summer camp, please visit www.wilothenterprises.com or call Susie Wiloth at 355-1280 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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The ceremony will take place at 1 p.m. Friday, May 2, on Merritt Road at Kelsey Creek in Kelseyville.

On Dec. 11, 2007, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to dedicate the bridge to the county's veterans.

The dedication ceremony originally had been scheduled for February but was postponed due to weather.

The public is invited to attend this ceremony to honor our local veterans.

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Not long ago, the Lake County Coast Guard Auxiliary rescued seven young men in a motor launch. When their vessel died on the water, they became a manually powered craft equal to a kayak, canoe or other manually powered craft.

Their lack of knowledge and preparedness nearly cost at least two of those young men their lives. Because they didn’t have the proper equipment, clothing, signaling devices, shore contact capability, two of those young men slid into a dangerous level of hypothermia. The outcome? It took three hours to raise their core body temperatures to normal.

Three knots is the average speed for a kayaker. When underwater features cause water to speed up, or shifts in weather create towering waves, experience and preparedness, not muscle power, are what matter. The prepared paddle vessel operator will have a boat appropriate for the task. Paddlers should be in the company of one or more people equally versed in reading the water and capable of self-rescue.

People engaged in paddle sports are a vulnerable group of water sport activists. They need to educate themselves and their families in the safe operation for this craft. Wearing flotation devices is superior to having them on board. The wisdom of putting cell phones and other emergency equipment in floatable, sealed containers and maintaining an awareness of the weather and water conditions is crucial.

Leaving a float plan with someone so in an emergency a search team has a point from which to begin a search, and a grasp of how quickly an overturned, loose craft can blow out of reach are some safety considerations for the paddle crafter. The goal is to enjoy the sport and simultaneously keep the adventure from turning into disaster. Remember a drowning is the same whether from a sail boat, motor launch, fishing vessel, or paddle craft.

Paddle craft operators should take advantage of a boating safety class the same as any other vessel operator on the water.

Currently, boating safety classes are being offered by the Coast Guard Auxiliary on May 10, June 21 and July 19 in Lakeport. Topics include signaling devices, proper wear and care of flotation devices, float plans and more.

For more information, contact Betty Strach, Flotilla Staff Officer in Public Education at 707-928-9811 or 707-245-3136. The America’s Boating Course is approved by the United States Coast Guard.

Betty Strach is the US Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla Staff Officer in public education.

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The Lake County Community Action Agency offers a prescreening for individuals wanting to find out their food stamp eligibility.

To set up an appointment call Sarina Beckel at 995-0495.

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The Wildflower Brunch is a long standing tradition of CLSPIA, with proceeds going to the interpretive association which supports the Clear Lake State Park in many ways, including funding the construction of a new education pavilion at the park.

The brunch is a scrumptious “Create Your Own Omelets,” affair, held outside at the park.

Overseen by local chef and caterer, who also happens to be president of CLSPIA, Madelene Lyon, a wide array of fillings are offered for an individually designed and perfect omelet. Fresh fruit and pastries are also offered.

Cost of the Brunch is just $12 per person and reservations in advance are encouraged. To register for the brunch, as well as other Heron Festival activities, go to www.heronfestival.org, or call the Lake County Visitor Center at 800-525-3743.

The Heron Festival and Wildflower Brunch will be held April 26 and 27 and features pontoon boat rides on Clear Lake, nature booths, walks, speakers, children’s activities and more. Check out the website for all of the fun events planned for Heron Festival weekend.

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