CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The free life jacket giveaway project held by Flotilla 88 of Lake County on Saturday, Aug. 2, was deemed a success with approximately 100 youngsters given free life jackets.  

The project was held at the gazebo in Redbud Park in Clearlake and also a table was set up at Austin Park, where the Lake Community Pride Foundation was holding its fourth annual Power to the Youth  event.  

Flotilla members George Torngren, Roberto Morfin, Marisa Chilafoe and Bunny De Lope, and Flotilla Commander Dan Fish collected information, weighed and fitted the youngsters and distributed safe boating information at the gazebo.

Also, past flotilla commanders Bruce Rogerson and Dane Hayward manned the table at Austin Park weighing and fitting the youngsters and distributing safe boating information.

Travis Peck, Walmart store manager, and store employee Krystal Eckhardt came to participate and  
observe how the youngsters were weighed and fitted.  

The life jacket giveaway project was funded by a $1,500 grant from the Clearlake Walmart.

Also, Flotilla 88’s vessel examiners, past commander and District Captain Wayne Farnholtz and Anita Farnholtz, performed free safety vessel checks at the marina in Redbud Park during the life jacket giveaway.

Flotilla 88 considered the project a success and once again wishes to thank Walmart for the grant and their participation.

They also wish to thank the parents who came, who were concerned about keeping their children safe in and around the water.  

The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary is dedicated to promoting recreational boating safety and its members are often referred to as America’s Volunteer Life Savers.

For information about how you can serve call 707-278-8288 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Dorothy De Lope is the public affairs officer for Flotilla 88.

A California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) officer was selected as the most outstanding wildlife officer in the western United States by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) at their annual conference in July.

Warden Mark Imsdahl, who works in Butte County, was named Pogue-Elms Wildlife Law Enforcement Officer of the Year for his exceptional performance throughout the year, his individual accomplishments and his leadership among his peers.

“We are very happy to present Warden Imsdahl with the Pogue-Elms award this year, as his dedication to the protection of California’s resources is second to none,” said WAWFA Secretary Larry L. Kruckenberg. “His individual accomplishments are truly exceptional, but even more important is his collaborative work with other wardens and fellow law enforcement agencies. His actions bring great credit to himself, CDFW and California.”

Warden Imsdahl joined CDFW in 1997. In addition to his regular game warden duties, he is a firearm instructor, a department armorer in every weapon system and a field training officer. He also teaches rural tactical operations and is a scenario evaluator at the CDFW warden academy.

“Mark’s dedication to the protection of the state’s resources is just outstanding,” said CDFW Law Enforcement Chief Mike Carion. “The department is very proud that WAFWA recognized Mark for his tremendous work ethic and drive to educate the public and enforce the resource laws of California.”

Some of Imsdahl’s 2013 accomplishments include:

• Selected to Marijuana Enforcement Team (MET) pilot program, enforcing drug and public health and safety laws statewide.
• Awarded the California Medal of Valor for his courageousness during an officer-involved shooting in a marijuana grow in 2012.
• Investigated and prosecuted multiple illegal mining cases involving the Feather River along the Oroville Wildlife Area.
• Made several waterfowl, upland game and wildlife poaching cases in rural northern California counties.
• Pursued a suction dredge mining case where the suspects challenged the constitutionality of California state laws regulating mining. Because of the complete case work Warden Imsdahl did, the case was up held in court and the suspects were convicted of illegal suction dredging.
• Made two joint marijuana/poaching cases in Butte County. After making routine traffic stops, Imsdahl found large amounts of marijuana in the suspects’ trucks. During subsequent interviews, the suspects confessed to having illegally killed deer and bear. Large amounts of evidence were later recovered from the suspects’ homes, including animal carcasses, bear parts, baiting equipment, untagged deer antlers and several hundred pounds of marijuana.

WAFWA represents 23 states and Canadian provinces, spanning from Alaska to Texas and Hawaii to Saskatchewan. WAFWA is a strong advocate of the rights of states and provinces to manage fish and wildlife within their borders. It has also been a key organization in promoting the principles of sound resource management and the building of partnerships at the regional, national and international levels in order to enhance wildlife conservation efforts and the protection of associated habitats in the public interest.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Rockhounds club will hold a regular meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 6.

The group will meet at 5 p.m. at Redbud Library, 14785 Burns valley Road in Clearlake.

Visitors are welcome.  

For those interested in joining the club, annual membership costs $15.

LUCERNE, Calif. – The Lucerne Alpine Senior Center is hosting its monthly Open Mic Lucerne on Aug. 16 from 6 to 11 p.m.

The third Saturday of August is the next opportunity for this fun event.

Performers are on stage with house band FOGG starting the evening at 6 p.m. with classic, heavy metal rock and roll with original numbers and covers of your favorites. FOGG and other entertainers will wrap up the evening by 11 p.m. Assistance is available with amplification.  

Bands and individuals are already signing up for August. The past events have seen full venues, so sign up early.

Call 707-245-4612 or 707-274-8779 for your reserved time or come and sign-up beginning at 5 p.m. Saturday. Don’t miss this chance to showcase your talent.

Lake County OML sees many exciting performances. Being audience is great fun too and free. For performers, this is a great free opportunity to show off talent.

Music, comedy, mime, readings and any other activity that is family-oriented is appreciated.

Room also is available for dancing and relaxing. There is no charge for attending or performing.

Bring the whole family to this child friendly event. A spaghetti feed is offered with traditional and vegetarian full meals available for $5.

All proceeds benefit the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center, a not-for-profit serving north shore senior populations with on-site lunches, Meals on Wheels and personal advocacy.

The center is located at 3985 Country Club Drive.

For more information about services or OML, call the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center at 707-274-8779.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Tuleyome has launched a Kickstarter campaign to publish a children’s nature book based on the organization’s popular “Tuleyome Tales.”

“Tuleyome Tales” are informative, educational, entertaining articles written predominantly by Tuleyome staff members and distributed to the local press as feature articles.  

Past articles have included coverage of native bees, local bird populations, slime mold, fire safety and outdoor recreation areas in the region.

The children’s book will take several of the tales and condense them down to simple paragraphs with a bold photograph and a probing question for readers to answer.

Acknowledging that there is something of a “nature deficit” among young children in the region (as kids spend a good deal of time indoors with their computers and cell phones) Tuleyome seeks to engage children ages 6 to 12 with a book based on nature, animals, plant life and places in the local region.

Tuleyome wants to initially publish 300 copies of the book, which will then be made available to the public.  

The Kickstarter campaign is focused on gathering pledges and funds specifically for the publication if this book alone and ends on Aug. 31.

For more information about the book, see Tuleyome’s Kickstarter page at http://kck.st/1nzhmAx .

Tuleyome is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization based in Woodland, California.  

For more information visit www.tuleyome.org or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

FORT BRAGG, Calif. – The Cal Fire Mendocino Unit is ending the sale of 2014 firewood permits on Jackson Demonstration State Forest due to the very high demand and a limited supply of available downed wood.   

One firewood area will remain open to those with valid permits until the wood supply is gone, Sept. 15 or the first significant rain, whichever occurs first.    

Gathering in violation of the terms of the permit will result in revocation of the permit; gathering without a valid permit is misdemeanor theft.  

Please help protect forest resources by respecting locked gates, and remember that one less spark is one less wildfire.

Questions regarding the firewood program may be directed to the Cal Fire Fort Bragg office located at 802 N. Main St. in Fort Bragg, telephone 707-964-5674.

Office hours are 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.