LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Thursday, Nov. 10, at the Lakeport Senior Center, Flotilla Commander Dane Hayward of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary presented a framed certificate of appreciation and a $50 donation to Pam Plank, board chair of the senior center.

The gesture was in thanks for the center allowing Flotilla 88 to use the facility for the USCG Auxiliary Radio Day held on Oct. 23.

The Radio Day, which was in celebration of the auxiliary's 71st anniversary, was a success with 39 contacts in 17 states including Palmer Alaska, Canada and a ship, the Santiago, off of the coast of South America. A special contact was the Point Wilson Lighthouse in the State of Washington.

The Flotilla offered a special thank you to all who participated.

The Wish Tree Program is part of Spirit of the Season, a community outreach that provides Christmas to our neighbors in need.

To give a gift to a child this Christmas, visit one of the local businesses where wish trees are located, pick out a red bell and follow the instructions posted near the wish tree.

Gifts are requested through letters to Santa written by children from families who have applied to the program.

The letters are read and each child’s wishes are transferred to a bell that is then hung on a wish tree throughout the community.

All high school-aged youngsters will receive a Walmart gift card as listed on their bells allowing each student to select their own gift.

To give a gift to a child at Christmas, please follow these instructions:

• Visit one of the businesses noted below and pick out a bell.

• Write the child’s name and family number as well as your name and telephone number on the “Donor’s List” so that we may contact you if necessary regarding your particular child.

• Purchase a gift and a gift bag and place the gift in the bag. Write what you purchased on the bell and tuck the bell into the gift bag. Gift cards should not be wrapped; place them in an envelope with the youngster’s name and family number written on the outside of the envelope.

• Return the gift or gift card to the location where you selected the bell no later than Thursday, Dec. 9.

Wish trees in Middletown are located at St Joseph Catholic Church, Middletown Florist and Gifts, Tri-Counties Bank and WestAmerica Bank.

The wish trees in Hidden Valley can be found at Century 21 House of Realty and Hidden Valley Lake Realty.

The wish trees on Cobb can be found at Mountain High Coffee and Cobb Cuts beauty salon.

If you have any questions contact Sandy Tucker at 707-987-0263 for Middletown and Hidden Valley or in Cobb contact Christine Bougas at 626-359-9097.

For more information about the program contact Hedy Montoya at 707-987-8139.

Sally Carlson was the original organizer of the annual Christmas Festival of Music in Lakeport, Calif. Courtesy photo.

The event will begin at 7 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 600 16th St., Lakeport.

Each year choirs, instrumentalists and vocalists from the local community present a free evening of holiday music to get the season started off right.

In addition to the featured performers, the audience will be invited to sing Christmas carols. Admission is free and refreshments will be served.

Christmas always seems to come earlier every year – Christmas decorations were seen in stores before Halloween this year.

However, the annual Christmas Festival of Music is giving its performers an extra day to get ready – it will break with tradition and be held on the first Saturday in December. This change was made to avoid a conflict with Kelseyville’s parade and tree lighting on Friday.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Christmas Festival of Music. Sally Carlson is being honored posthumously as the original organizer of this event. Her vision to bring the community together in a celebration of music has been carried on long after her passing.

An interfaith and community gathering, the festival will feature some returning favorites this year. In fact, Merry Lloyd who plays the handbells and performed for years with Bells of the Lake is flying in from Oregon to help celebrate the 25th anniversary.

In addition to the featured performers, the audience will be invited to sing Christmas carols.

Admission is free and refreshments will be provided.

Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 20

– AT&T of Ukiah has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for an aerial crossing 0.2 mile east of Reclamation Cutoff through Friday, Nov. 12. Work hours are 9 a.m. to noon, weekdays. Intermittent full road closures will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– Replacement of signal heads from the junction of Routes 1/20 to Manzanita Street will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Republic ITS of Novato.

– Robert Osserman of Berkeley has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to install a driveway 0.5 mile north of Simpson Road on Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 16 and 17. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 20

– Culvert repairs from Two Rock Lookout to the Broaddus Creek Bridge will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Bud Garman Construction of Willits.

Highway 101

– A metal beam guardrail repair project at various locations from 0.1 mile north of the Mendocino/ Sonoma County to Lake Mendocino Drive will continue. Work hours are 5PM Sunday evening through 7 a.m. Friday morning, 24 hours per day. The southbound offramp to Route 222 (Talmage Road Exit 548A) will be intermittently closed from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m., Sunday evening through Friday morning. Motorists will be advised to use an alternate route and may experience minor delays. Contractor – Wahlund Construction of Eureka.

– A pavement repair project from the Robinson Creek Bridge to the Masonite Road Overcrossing will continue. Work hours are 8 p.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday evening through Friday afternoon. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. Contractor – Granite Construction Inc. of Ukiah.

– A metal beam guardrail repair project at various locations from Lake Mendocino Drive to 1.0 mile north of Reynolds Highway will continue. Work hours are 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekdays. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. Contractor – Wahlund Construction of Eureka.

– A metal beam guardrail repair project at various locations from the Rock reek Bridge to the Bridges Creek Bridge will continue. In four-lane sections work hours are 24 hours per day from 5 p.m. Sunday evening through 7 a.m. Friday morning. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction of travel, and motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. In two-lane sections nighttime work hours are 5 p.m. to 7 a.m., Sunday evening through Friday morning. One-way traffic control will be in effect, and motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Wahlund Construction of Eureka.

Highway 222

– Replacement of the Russian River Bridge will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays during work hours and five-minute delays at other times. Contractor – CC Myers of Rancho Cordova.

For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).

The series will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on the second Friday of each month with the exception of January, when the event will be held on the third Friday.

The per person cost is $15 and reservations are recommended.

Nov. 12 will showcase a mushroom walnut Wellington appetizer made with Mendocino Shitake mushrooms and walnuts from the Dancing Tree People Organic Orchard in Upper Lake paired with Lake County Pinot Noirs.

For more information, or to make a reservation, contact Susan Feiler at 707-293-8752.

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at the Middletown Fire Station on Highway 175.

Twenty-five local crafters and vendors will have a variety of gift items for sale.

The Fire Sirens will host a food and bake sale all day, as well as a raffle with more than 15 terrific prizes donated by local merchants and businesses.

The tickets will be available that day for six for $5 or $1 each.

All money raised goes to purchase emergency equipment for the South Lake County Fire Protection District.

Bring your children, too. Santa will be visiting from the North Pole.

The group invites the community to come out and support this annual Fire Siren Event and do some holiday shopping.