FINLEY, Calif. – Toastmasters-Tenacious Talkers Club 8731 will meet from 6:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23.

The group meets at 2150 Argonaut Road, Finley.

Arrive early, as the group begins at 6:15 p.m. sharp.

For more information call Rick, 707-536-7858.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Amateur Radio Society will hold its monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 23.

The meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Lakeport Senior Center, 527 Konocti Ave., Lakeport.

They will discuss how they will help out at the Lake County Fair and how they assist during emergency operations.

All members of the public are welcome.

Amateur radio is a fun family hobby that also helps protect the community in times of emergencies and natural disasters.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Community members are invited to join the Lake County 29ers Cribbage Club.

The group meets every Monday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. – or later if there is a tournament – in the meeting room at the Lakeport McDonald's, 1400 Todd Road.

The next meeting is Monday, Aug. 20.

The Lake County 29ers Cribbage Club is affiliated with national and international clubs, including the American Cribbage Congress, and plans to develop a team to play in tournaments around the state.

For more information call Bob Burrows, 707-274-1519.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Konocti Art Society artists group is holding a gourd display and raffle, and community members are encouraged to sign up to win one of the distinctive art pieces.

See the beautiful gourds and obtain raffle tickets at WestAmerica Bank, located on Main Street in
Kelseyville.  

Gourds will be on display until Saturday, Sept. 29.

The winning tickets will be drawn at 3 p.m. at the bank during the Kelseyville Pear Festival.

Tickets are one for $1 or six for $5.

Proceeds will be used for a Kelseyville beautification project through the Lake County Quilt Trail.  

A quilt block will be added to the Lake County Quilt Trail on the WestAmerica Bank in Kelseyville.  

WestAmerica Bank has been a strong supporter of the Konocti Art Society for 20 years. They have graciously displayed KAS’ art at the Pear Festival and other events.  

KAS members displaying gourds are Leah Adams, Judy Cardinale, Diana Constable, Patricia Courtney, Bonnie Ewing, Barbara Funke, Gerri Groody, Jan Hambrick, Annette Higday, Barbara Kossen, Jeanne Landon-Myers, Barbara Levasseur, Karen Magnuson, Gaylene McComb, Ruth Morgan, Carolyn Morris, Marie Newsom, Patty Oates, Diane Tembey-Stawicki and Phyllis Thiessen.

SAN FRANCISCO – Attorney General Kamala Harris this week warned Californians about potential scams targeting young immigrants seeking to participate in the federal government’s recently launched Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

Beginning Thursday, certain young immigrants who were brought to United States as children and meet several key guidelines may request consideration of deferred action for a period of two years, subject to renewal, and, as a result, may be eligible for work authorization.

To learn more about the Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, please visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ Web site, http://www.uscis.gov .

While the California Attorney General’s Office has not yet received any citizen complaints of scams directly related to this new program, immigrants are often the target of consumer scams and should be vigilant in seeking assistance related to the Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.

To combat the threat of scams, Attorney General Harris has provided the following information and tips as eligible immigrants begin to apply for consideration:

If you are seeking help from an attorney:

• Is the person offering legal services a lawyer licensed by the State Bar of California? You can check out an attorney online at www.calbar.ca.gov/ or by calling 1-800-843-9053.
• If you cannot afford a private attorney, the Board of Immigration Appeals provides a list of attorneys who provide immigration services either for free or for very little cost. This list is available online at http://www.justice.gov/eoir/probono/states.htm . You also can contact your local legal aid office. For a referral, visit www.lsc.gov and click on the Find Legal Assistance tab.

If you are seeking help from an immigration consultant:

• Immigration consultants are required to register with the California Secretary of State’s Office, and to post a $50,000 bond. You can check out an Immigration Consultant online at http://www.sos.ca.gov/business/sf/bond_search/ or by calling 1-916-653-3984.
• It is against the law for an immigration consultant to give legal advice. An immigration consultant can only give you non-legal help, such as translating your answers to questions on U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services forms.
• Get a written contract signed and dated by the immigration consultant. Make sure the contract lists the full name and contact information for the immigration consultant, the services you were promised and how much you have agreed to pay. The contract must be written in both English and your language. You have the right to cancel the contract within 72 hours of signing the contract. You must cancel the contract in writing. Give only copies of original documents to the immigration consultant; keep your originals in a safe place.

If you have a complaint against an Immigration Consultant, please contact the California Attorney General’s Office. You can file a complaint online at https://oag.ca.gov/contact/consumer-complaint-against-business-or-company or by mailing your complaint to Office of the Attorney General, Public Inquiry Unit, P.O. Box 944255, Sacramento, CA 94244-2550.

UKIAH, Calif. – American Red Cross is offering a free class, “Disaster Services Overview,” for new volunteers and those who want to learn about Red Cross volunteer opportunities in Mendocino County.

Opportunities for Red Cross volunteers include responding to local and national emergencies, training the community in disaster education, and staffing health and safety fairs.

In 2012-13, the American Red Cross has a major initiative to educate the community on disaster preparedness, and local volunteers are especially needed to present disaster education information to the community. Free training will be provided to qualified volunteers.

The Disaster Services Overview class will be held twice:

• In Ukiah, on Thursday, Sept. 13, 413 N. State St., NCO office. Meeting at 6 p.m., class from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., after the monthly Disaster Action Team meeting. New people are welcome at the Disaster Action Team meeting.
• In Willits, on Saturday, Sept. 15, Willits Library, 390 East Commercial St. Hours are10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Interested people can contact Don Rowe, 707-463-2456, to register or for more information.

American Red Cross, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake Counties, is a neutral, humanitarian organization that provides relief to victims of disasters, and prepares people to prevent and respond to emergencies.

Like all Red Cross chapters, the local chapter is self-sustaining and is funded by local contributions.

Donations can be made at www.arcsm.org , www.redcross.org , via mail to American Red Cross, 5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403, or by phone at 707-577-7627 (Sonoma County), 707-463-0112 (Mendocino County), or 707-263-8451 (Lake County).