Community
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- Written by: Mendocino National Forest
MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. — Christmas tree permits are available to purchase online through Recreation.gov.
Details about designated cutting areas, dates, and types of trees that may be cut may be found here.
To purchase a Christmas tree permit, visit Recreation.gov and search for Mendocino National Forest Christmas Tree Permits. It is important to carefully read the overview and need-to-know information prior to purchasing the permit. Visitors will also need to set up or log in to a Recreation.gov account to complete the transaction.
Visitors can also purchase Christmas tree permits in person from local vendors and forest offices. Forest offices in Willows, Stonyford, Upper Lake and Covelo will have permits for sale. Hours and availability may vary.
Fourth graders with an Every Kid Outdoors pass are eligible for a free Christmas tree permit and can apply by entering the pass or voucher number when purchasing a permit (note: a $2.50 reservation fee will be applied).
Cutting a Christmas tree also improves forest health. The permit system helps thin densely populated stands of small-diameter trees. Local forest health experts identify areas that benefit from thinning trees that tend to be the perfect size for Christmas trees. Removing these trees in designated areas helps other trees grow larger and can open areas that provide forage for wildlife.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Kelseyville Presbyterian Church will once again host its popular chili and chowder dinner during the annual Christmas in the Country celebration.
The dinner will take place on Friday, Dec. 5, in the church Fellowship Hall.
Hours will be 4 to 9 p.m., or while supplies last.
There will be chili and clam chowder, plus cornbread, rolls, beverages and dessert.
The cost for a full meal is $15 per person for adults, and $5 for children under age 12.
For dessert and a beverage only, the cost is $5 for all ages.
To go meals also are available.
All proceeds benefit the church’s Food Pantry, which has been helping our neighbors in need for nearly 15 years and stepped up with additional assistance in response to the delays in SNAP benefits.
The church also will hold a parking fundraiser to support its facility upgrades, including the renovation of its Food Pantry building.
Kelseyville Presbyterian is located at 4021 Church St., at the corner of Third and Church streets.
For more information, call the church at 707-279-1104 or email
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- Written by: Stephanie Holdenried
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — On Friday, Oct. 17, community leaders in Lake County’s chapter of the California Women in Agriculture’s AgVenture class met to hear speakers discuss the walnut industry, food safety, pest control and current trends in California agriculture.
They also took a field trip to Seely Orchards, a local multi-generationally farmed walnut orchard in Upper Lake, to experience harvest.
Fidel Perez, the North Region Environmental Program manager for the California Department of Pesticide Regulations, gave an in-depth presentation on his office’s monitoring, testing and enforcement of federal regulations of pesticide residue on fruits and vegetables marketed and consumed in the state.
Perez is a Lake County native who grew up on the Quercus Ranch in Kelseyville.
The California Farm Bureau was represented by its chief operating officer, Dan Durheim, who talked about the depth and breadth of the state’s $61 billion dollar agriculture industry.
Lake County’s agricultural industry is $140 million of those revenues with wine grapes being the majority crop followed by pears, livestock/walnuts.
Eighty percent of farms in California are family-owned with dairy being the largest contributor followed by almonds and grapes.
Darren Dencklau from Attaway Field Research led off a pest control advisor panel discussing the lengthy research and development process to register new materials for use.
He was joined by Padrick Sherlock from Beckstoffer Vineyards, and Janice Luke, an agricultural biologist from the county of Lake, who explained pest control management in the field, navigating federal and state regulations using organic and sustainable practices. Many new products are certified in both organic and sustainable programs.
Bill Carriere, a walnut farmer and member of the California Walnut Board, spent the day with the class sharing nutrition research, product innovation, and general facts regarding walnuts. There are approximately 375,000 bearing acres of walnuts in California.
Colleen Seely Rentsch joined her daughter, Jessica Rentsch Mihalenko, and son-in-law, Jordon Mihalenko, third and fourth generation farmers, to host the group at their Upper Lake orchard to walk amongst the trees and learn how the walnuts are harvested.
Several class participants got to try their hands at running the walnut shaker which is a machine that clamps onto a tree and vigorously shakes it making all the nuts fall.
Colleen Rentsch’s grandparents bought that property in 1953; her parents, Ed and Francis Seely, assumed management of the farm in the early 60s expanding the orchards and modernizing the operation.
A final panel closed out the afternoon. Jennifer Beretta, from Beretta Dairy in Santa Rosa, opened the discussion with Makaila Benjamin and Katy Evans. They discussed challenges of regulations affecting their farms and the need to diversify, expanding awareness of how our food is grown, and educating next generations about job opportunities in agriculture.
Recurring themes throughout the day were California’s national leadership in agriculture, being the number one producer in the nation of food and fiber, the challenging regulatory environment at state and federal levels, and the need to educate the public on the importance of supporting our diverse agricultural industry so future generations can continue to produce safe and healthy food.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — In recent years, the Lake County Library’s Adult Literacy Program has expanded to include programs for Family Literacy and English as a Second Language, along with tutoring at the Lake County Jail and Xamitin Haven Emergency Shelter.
With more learners reaching out for help, the Library’s Literacy Program needs more volunteers interested in one-on-one tutoring and/or small group tutoring.
More volunteers are needed in the Clearlake area, for the Lake County Jail, and volunteers who are bilingual in Spanish.
Statistics show that 26% of Lake County residents are at a literacy proficiency level at or below level 1 — the lowest level, posing challenges for adults who want to access better jobs, further their education, advocate for their children, and overall improve their way of life.
According to ProLiteracy, a national organization whose mission is to change lives and communities through the power of literacy, approximately 59 million adults in the United States are at a literacy level of at or below level 1, proving that low literacy is an important cause for all communities.
No experience is necessary to become a literacy tutor if one has patience, a desire to help others, and a good command of the English language.
Tutor training, where volunteers learn useful techniques for tutoring, is provided free of cost, and ongoing support is provided. A background check is required, paid for by the County of Lake.
Tutoring is flexible for both the tutor and learner, with sessions typically held once per week for one hour. Tutoring can take place at library branches around the lake, or online.
Becoming a tutor can help someone to a better future. Through hard work and perseverance, adult learners can change their own, and their family’s lives, for the better.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer literacy tutor, please call 707-263-7633 or email
Visit the Adult Literacy Program’s page on the Lake County Library website at http://library.lakecountyca.gov.
The program is supported in part by the California Library Literacy Services and by the Lake County Literacy Coalition.
