Residents of Lake County may dispose of up to 20 tires per year through this program at no cost.

Tire Amnesty includes passenger or light truck tires, up to R19.5, with and without rims. The Tire Amnesty program is not for commercial, heavy duty, farm, or heavy equipment tires – or for more than 20 tires per year per person.

The Tire Amnesty program makes it easy and affordable for residents to clean up around their homes and properly dispose of tires, remember that tires stored outdoors make an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes.

A no-cost waiver is required before transporting nine up to 20 tires. Failure to obtain a waiver to transport more than nine tires can result in fines ranging from $10,000 to $25,000 per violation per day and increased administrative penalties from $1,000 to $5,000 per violation per day and is enforced by the California Highway Patrol.

Tires may be taken to either Southlake Refuse & Recycling, 16025 Davis St. in Clearlake, or Lake County Waste Solutions, 230 Soda Bay Road in Lakeport.

Customers will be asked to show proof of Lake County residency and sign a form noting the number and origin of tires. Commercial tire, auto repair, or salvage businesses cannot take advantage of this program.

Funds for the Tire Amnesty program are limited so residents are encouraged to drop off waste tires soon.

When funds to subsidize the proper disposal of tires are depleted, the program will end. Please contact the Recycling Hotline at 263-1980 for status and information.

Bigger tires or more than nine tires?

• A waiver must be obtained from Lake County Environmental Health, 922 Bevins Court in Lakeport, 707-263-1164. There is no cost for the waiver.

• Preapproval must be obtained from Lake County Public Services prior to disposal to ensure fund availability. Please call the Recycling Hotline at 707-263-1980.

• Application for a waiver must be made before transporting the tires to a facility as it takes a minimum of a full business day to process the paperwork.

Why is proper tire disposal important?

California is faced with the significant challenge of diverting or safely managing more than 44.4 million reusable and waste tires generated each year.

It is estimated that fewer than 250,000 waste tires remain in stockpiles throughout California. These stockpiles pose a potential threat to public health, safety, and the environment.

While nearly 75 percent of used tires are recycled, the rest still end up illegally stockpiled, illegally dumped, or illegally disposed of in landfill.

If not managed properly, scrap tires are a potential threat to both California's environment and public health and safety. Illegally stockpiled tires also pose a fire risk and are attractive habitats for rodents and insects.

For more information on recycling programs in Lake County, visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us or call the Recycling Hotline at 707-263-1980.

The sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Galilee Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall, 8860 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville.

There will be housewares, books, toys and knick knacks; sorry, no clothes.

Proceeds will be used to help provide language and heritage camp scholarships for heritage members.

Also check out the group's Web site at www.vikingsoflakelodge.org.

The Konocti Lioness Club will sell raffle tickets for this basket on Saturday, May 7, 2011. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Saturday, May 7, members of the Konocti Lioness Club are once again selling raffle tickets for a beautiful Mother’s Day gift basket at the Riviera Market on Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville.

This huge gift basket contains over 20 different items, such as jewelry, body lotions, candles, decorative towels, a lovely scarf, wine and, of course, chocolate.

Tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5 and the winning ticket will be drawn at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

The funds raised from the ticket donations will be used for the Club’s campership project which sponsors special needs children and others to summer camp.

The Konocti Lioness Club also supports projects such as Shoes for Kids, Totes for Teens and other programs which benefit the youngsters of Lake County.

The Konocti Lioness Club is a nonprofit service club sponsored by the Mountain Lions Club of Cobb.

The Club invites anyone interested in joining to visit the gift basket table and learn more about our service to the community.

For more information, call Lioness Elizabeth Burnside at 707-279-8562 or Lioness Bunny De Lope at 707-279-2414.

There will be a special report by the people who attended the California Democratic Party Convention in Sacramento and reports by the different activity committees on their progress. Other topics of special interest to the Democratic Club will be discussed.

The public is always invited to the Democratic Club meetings.

Lake County Democratic Club meetings are held on the second Saturday of the month at noon in the Rose Room of the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center.

The Senior Center is at 3985 Country Club Drive (corner of 10th and Country Club Drive) in Lucerne.

Contact the Democratic Club of Lake County by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Contact the Democratic Party of Lake County at 707-533-4885 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

The Senior Peer Counseling program of Konocti Senior Support Inc. is making a last call for the spring volunteer training, and learn to help seniors talk through a discouraging time, access services, cope with losses and adapt to the challenges of older age.

Volunteers will share their experiences with other inspirational volunteers, engage in lively discussions, and receive weekly training in the gifts and challenges of aging.

Volunteers will learn skills such as compassionate listening, strategic coping and clear communicating.

You will learn the secrets of increasing peace of mind, reducing stress, recovering from a loss, building healthy relationships and exploring the spiritual advantages of later life.

As a volunteer, you will spend a total of about four hours a week with clients and attending a group supervision session.

They are now accepting a limited number of applications for volunteers throughout Lake County for this free training facilitated by licensed psychotherapist Kim Baughan Young MFT, which includes experiential practice, movie clips, lively group discussion and even free lunches.

The training will be held on three successive Mondays beginning May 9 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Call Konocti Senior Support Inc. now for your application at 707-995-1417.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Fire Safe Council is pleased to offer free chipping days in the communities of Clearlake Oaks, Upper Lake and Lakeport on three Saturdays in May.

Residents will be able to bring their tree and brush trimmings to locations in each of these communities for free chipping.

No vines, blackberries, or poison oak will be allowed.

Participants may load their own chips and use them for mulch, but will need to bring their own shovels and strong backs.

On Saturday, May 7, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., chipping services will be available at 13090 E. State Highway 20, in Clearlake Oaks. Look for the Brassfield Winery sign.

On Saturday, May 14, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the chipper will be at Pivniska Trucking, 85 E. State Highway 20, in Upper Lake.

On Saturday, May 21, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., take your materials to be chipped to the Agriculture Center, 883 Lakeport Blvd., in Lakeport.

This service is made possible by a grant from the California Fire Safe Council, and partnerships with East Lake and West Lake Resource Conservation Districts, Northshore Fire Protection District and Lakeport Fire Protection District.

For information please call 707-263-4180, Extension 102.