LAKEPORT, Calif. – Michael Horner has organized a community meeting to stop the proposed ordinance banning cannabis cultivation in Lake County.

The meeting will be held beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, in Fritch Hall at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St. in Lakeport.

A panel has been assembled that includes Dan Rush, UFCW director of Cannabis Workers Rising; Kristen Nevedal, Emerald Growers Association; Ron Green, California NORML attorney; James Anthony, land use attorney; Craig Litwin, campaign consultant; and Jerry Gully, Americans for Safe Access Lake County.

The members of this panel encourage all concerned to attend the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 10 – also in Fritch Hall – beginning at 5:30 p.m., to express their concerns about the ordinance.

NORTH COAST – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around the North Coast during the coming week.

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

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 53

– Highway widening and rehabilitation from 40th Avenue to the junction of Routes 20/53 will continue. Work hours are 6 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. Beginning Monday, Dec. 9, 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 – Teichert Construction of Davis.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– Replacement of the Greenwood Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Golden State Bridge Inc. of Martinez.

– Guardrail repairs at the Wages Creek Bridge will continue on Tuesday, Dec. 10. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor ‐ Coral Construction of Wilsonville.

– PG&E of Eureka has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for tree trimming from 0.6 mile south of the Cottoneva Creek Bridge to the South Fork Eel River Bridge beginning Monday, Dec. 9. 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.

– Replacement of a culvert with a bridge at Dunn Creek will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Shasta Construction of Redding.

Highway 101

– Caltrans will perform slide repairs near the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge (near Frog Woman Rock). Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

– Highway construction from 1.0 mile south of the Haehl Overhead Bridge to the Haehl Overhead Bridge will continue Monday, Dec. 9. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. A moving closure for striping will be in effect. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. Contractor – DeSilva Gates Construction of Dublin.

– Highway construction from 1.2 miles south of the North Willits Railroad Crossing to the North Willits Railroad Crossing will continue Monday, Dec. 9. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. A moving closure for striping will be in effect. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. Contractor – DeSilva Gates Construction of Dublin.

Highway 128

– PG&E of Eureka has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for tree trimming from 0.6 mile west of Philo Greenwood Road to 0.6 mile west of Philo on Friday, Dec. 6. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 175

– PG&E of Eureka has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for tree trimming from Buckman Drive to 1.5 miles east of Buckman Drive through Friday, Dec. 6. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Work on all these projects is weather permitting and subject to change. Caltrans advises motorists to drive with caution when approaching work areas and to be prepared to stop at traffic control stations.

The Caltrans Traffic Operations Office has reviewed each project and determined that individual project delays are expected to be less than the statewide policy maximum of 30 minutes, unless noted otherwise above.

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).

SACRAMENTO – Assembly Speaker John A. Pérez has appointed Assembly Mariko Yamada (D-Davis), former chair of the Yolo County Housing Authority (now known as Yolo County Housing), to serve on the Assembly Committee on Housing and Community Development.

While Yamada will be stepping down from her role as a member of the Assembly Veterans Committee, an assignment she has held for five years, she said she will continue working on veterans issues in her other committee assignments and through her own policymaking.

“My interest in addressing the issues of housing and homelessness now faced by many veterans – especially those from our most recent conflicts – intersects with this new assignment as well as my current role on the Assembly Select Committee on Homelessness,” Yamada said. “I welcome the opportunity to work with Chairman Ed Chau and committee members on providing increased access to affordable, accessible and supportive housing for these veterans in addition to finding solutions to the housing needs of other underserved populations.”

The Housing and Community Development Committee’s jurisdiction includes building standards, common interest developments, homelessness programs, housing discrimination, housing finance, natural disaster assistance and preparedness, redevelopment, and land use planning.

Speaker Pérez also appointed Yamada to serve on the newly-established Committee on Local Emergency Preparedness, which will focus on coordination of local emergency resources.

Before her election to the Assembly, Yamada represented the Yolo County Board of Supervisors on the Sierra Sacramento Valley Emergency Medical Services Agency (SSV-EMS). She was elected SSV-EMS Board chair in 2005 and served in that capacity for two years.

Assemblymember Yamada will continue as chair of the Assembly Committee on Aging and Long-Term Care; the Select Committee on State Hospital and Developmental Center Safety; and the Select Committee on Sustainable and Organic Agriculture, and as a member of the Assembly Committee on Agriculture; Committee on Water, Parks and Wildlife; the Select Committee on Homelessness and the Select Committee on Wine.

Yamada represents California’s Fourth Assembly District, including all or parts of Colusa, Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Owners, customers and the public are invited to Lake Co-op's annual Gratitude Gathering on Sunday, Dec. 15.

The gathering will be held at the Clear Lake Riviera Community Association Room, 9689 State Highway 281 (Soda Bay Road), Kelseyville from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The potluck event includes live music by Lake Co-op farmer and fiddler Teale Love, a free raffle, introduction of the new board and a brief presentation on the co-op's activities for 2013.

With more than 21 producers, Lake Co-op celebrates six years as Lake County's premier retail online ordering and distribution for local and regional organic products including food, household and personal care products.

Lake Co-op is California's only cooperatively owned online food ordering and distribution system.

“Lake County is at the forefront of local food systems with the co-op and our robust Farm to School programs,” said farmer and Lake Co-op Board President Jim Leonardis. “We are looked to as a model of what is possible.”

This is the co-op's fifth annual Gratitude Gathering.

“It's a time when our farmers can take a breath and meet up with their customers and friends for a cherished reflection of all that has transpired throughout the year,” added interim Manager JoAnn Saccato. “If someone is curious about the co-op and meeting some of our producers, this is a perfect event.”

Attendees are encouraged to bring a dish to share and their own plate, bowl, cup and cutlery. Some beverages will be provided.

The co-op also offers organic produce and products that are not offered in our region, like tropical and citrus fruits, specialty teas and herbs.

Shoppers can enjoy ordering individual items from the producers or opt for the co-op's signature Organic Fruit N' Veggie box that is designed to fit the produce needs of a one- to two-person household for a week. The all-organic boxes are sourced local first and regional second.

For more information about the co-op and further details on the Gratitude Gathering, visit www.lake.coop or call 707-513-5226.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – With less than a week to collect gifts for local children in need, the Umpqua Bank “wish tree” effort still has a lot of gift tags on the tree and is asking for the community's help.

Umpqua Bank's Lakeport and Kelseyville branches are collecting gifts for 150 children – ranging in age from 2 months to 17 years – under the care of Child Protective Services in Lake County.

Community members can visit either bank branch, pick a child’s tag and sign the register. Then return your gift by Dec. 10, wrapped and with the tag on it. If you don’t have the time to purchase a gift, you can make a monetary donation and the bank will be happy to do the shopping for you.

Umpqua Bank is located in Lakeport at 805 11th St. and in Kelseyville at 4280 Main St.

For more information call the Lakeport bank branch at 707-262-3342.

BOGGS MOUNTAIN, Calif. – The Friends of Boggs Mountain will hold a cleanup of the shooting area at Boggs Mountain State Demonstration Forest from 6 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 7.

Boggs Forest management will close the shooting area from dawn until noon for the cleanup.

All volunteers are welcome.

The forest entrance is located off Highway 175 just one and a half miles north of Cobb Village. Turn at the blue state fire station/Boggs Mountain Forest sign.

For more information contact the forest office at 707-928-4378.