If it is raining heavily on Jan. 8, the workshop will be rescheduled to the following Saturday, Jan. 15.

Master Gardeners will discuss and demonstrate pruning and other cultural practices that help produce large, healthy rose displays.

This will be followed by a hands-on session, allowing workshop participants to practice what they have just learned.

Workshop participants should bring heavy gloves and pruning shears for this hands-on practice portion of the workshop.

The Master Gardener Mobile Help Desk will be there and handouts will be available. A $5 donation is encouraged to help defray expenses. The meeting site is wheelchair accessible.

UCCE Master Gardener President Richard Nodine encourages home gardeners to attend the workshop, especially if they’ve ever thought that pruning roses is hard.

The Lucerne Alpine Senior Center is home to the Memorial Rose Garden, an impressive collection of roses that the whole community can enjoy.

Workshop participants will help prune the senior center roses, providing home gardeners a wonderful opportunity to get hands-on training through U.C. Cooperative Extension.

Master Gardeners are a group of selected, trained residents who work as volunteer staff for the U.C. Cooperative Extension.

Master Gardeners provide accurate horticultural information on vegetable gardening, trees, soils, lawns, ornamental horticulture, insects, diseases, use of pesticides and other related topics based on research of the University of California and other recognized research institutions.

Information about the rose pruning workshop can be obtained by calling UC Cooperative Extension at 707-263-6838, or on the Web at http://celake.ucdavis.edu.

The group will serve green and red pastas, Italian sausages, salad, garlic bread and homemade cake for dessert at the club hall, located at 2817 E. Highway 20, Nice.

The bar is open for socializing at 5 p.m., with dinner at 6 p.m.

Enjoy dancing to the music of Jim Williams.

All tickets cost $15 at the door. Everyone is welcome.

For information about this event or renting the hall for your own event call 707-274-9952.

At this meeting they will be discussing the club's plans for the 2011 political activities.

The public is always invited to Democratic Club meetings.

Regular 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 located at 3985 Country Club Drive (corner of 10th and Country Club Drive) in Lucerne.

Contact the Democratic Party of Lake County at 707-277-0713 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

The Public Services administrative office in Lakeport will be closed on Friday, Dec. 31, in observance of the holiday and will reopen on Monday, Jan. 3, at 8 a.m.

The Lake County Public Services department oversees the divisions of Solid Waste, Parks & Recreation, Museums and Facilities Maintenance for the county of Lake.

The Eastlake Landfill will reopen on Sunday, Jan. 2, with the normal daily operating hours of 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The landfill and South Lake Refuse & Recycling are open seven days per week except on county holidays.

Lake County Waste Solutions in Lakeport will close at noon on Friday, Dec. 31, and will be closed on Saturday, Jan. 1, in observance of the New Year's holiday.

Curbside collection services will not be affected by the holiday schedules.

The Lake County Historic Courthouse museum will be open regular hours on Sunday, Jan. 2, noon until 4 p.m. They are normally open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum is closed on Sundays. Regular house at the Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum are Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

AAA will offer its Tipsy Tow service to drinking drivers from 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve until 6 a.m. on New Year’s Day in Northern California, Nevada and Utah.

Drivers, potential passengers, party hosts, bartenders and restaurant managers can call 800-222-4357 (AAA-HELP) for a free tow home of up to 10 miles.

Just tell the AAA operator, “I need a Tipsy Tow,” and a truck will be on its way. You do not need to be a AAA member.

The service will provide a one-way ride for the driver and vehicle to the driver’s home. If there are additional passengers who need a ride, they will be taken to the driver’s home as long as there is sufficient room for them to be transported safely in the tow truck. You cannot make a reservation.

“We want everyone to ring in the New Year by having fun and enjoying the evening with friends and family,” said AAA Northern California spokesperson Matt Skryja. “But we want everyone to do it safely and responsibly. Simply call for our Tipsy Tow service and help AAA keep the roads safe this holiday.”

According to a recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study, 20 percent of all motorists in the past year have driven a motor vehicle within two hours of drinking alcohol. About 13 percent of the total population has done so in the past 30 days. It takes only one or two drinks to impair vision, steering, braking, judgment and reaction time.

AAA estimates that a first time DUI conviction can cost up to $12,000 in fines, penalties, restitution, legal fees and added insurance expenses. You can’t put a price tag on a crash that causes an injury or death.

“If you’ve been drinking, don’t get behind the wheel,” added Skryja. “Give AAA a call and we’ll make sure you get home safely.”

The club will serve prime rib with all the trimmings, baked potato, veggies, salad, rolls and a special midnight dessert buffet with a champagne toast on Friday, Dec. 31, at the Sons of Italy club hall, 2817 E. Highway 20 in Nice.

The bar is open for socializing at 5 p.m. then dinner will be served at 7 p.m.

Enjoy dancing to music of Sounds Like Fun Entertainment right after the meal.

All tickets are $30 at the door. Everyone is welcome.

For information about this event or renting the hall for your own, call 707-274-2244.