LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The next meeting of the Lake County Democratic Club will be Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Lake County Democratic Club meetings are held in the social hall of the Lower Lake Community United Methodist Church, 16255 Second St., on the second Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m.

Meetings are open to the public. Membership is open to all registered Democrats.

The Lake County Democratic Club is an officially chartered club of the Democratic Party of Lake County.

Visit the club's Web site at www.lakecountydemocraticclub.org or contact it at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Planning Commission's regular meeting scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3, has been canceled.

The next regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 17.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – In recognition of Retired Teacher Week, the Lake County Chapter of the California State Retired Teachers Association will host a program on Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum. 

The event will commence at 11:30 a.m. and end by 1 p.m.

Tony Pierucci, curator of the Lake County Museums, will make a 20- to 30-minute presentation on the history of public education in Lake County from the 1850s through the 1930s. 

Pierucci is currently writing a book on this subject scheduled to be published in the spring.

Other activities planned for the day include a tour of the historic schoolhouse and the ringing of the old school bell to honor all retired teachers. Refreshments will be served.

This event is open to the public. Retired teachers are especially encouraged to attend this program designed to recognize their service to education.

Additional information can be obtained by calling the museum at 707-995-3565.

Reservations are not required but Chapter President Joyce Anderson would appreciate an email from those planning to attend as an aid in planning for refreshments. She can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The annual Spirit of the Season food and toy giveaway is holding signups for the Christmas season.

The last day to sign up is Wednesday, Nov. 18, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Middletown Community United Methodist Church, 15833 Armstrong St.

The program is open to anyone who lives in Cobb, Hidden Valley Lake or Middletown who needs help with food or gifts for children at Christmas.

Bring proof of residence and income.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Chi Council for the Clear Lake Hitch will meet on Wednesday, Dec. 2.

The group will meet at 3:30 p.m. at the Lake County Agriculture Center, 883 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport.

The group's meetings normally fall on the fourth Wednesday of every month, which in November would have been the day before Thanksgiving. As such, they have changed the meeting to the Dec. 2 date.

Draft minutes from the Oct. 28 meeting are available at   http://lakelive.info/chicouncil/pdffiles/10.28.15minutes.pdf .

For more information about the group visit http://www.lakelive.info/chicouncil .

SACRAMENTO – Drought, beetle outbreaks, millions of dead trees, and carbon sequestration are some of the issues experts will be discussing at the California Forest Pest Council's 64th annual meeting in November. 

The meeting will take place Nov. 4 and 5 at the USDA Forest Service, Wildland Fire Training & Conference Center, Hamm and Loop Rooms, 3237 Peacekeeper Way, McClellan.

Presentations will include topics such as addressing how to effectively utilize millions of dead trees, impacts of invasive and native tree pests and diseases, drought monitoring, and the role of forests in carbon sequestration.

California has lost more than 20 million trees this year to drought and beetle infestations, posing wildfire, carbon sequestration, and biomass complications. 

Invasive species continue to be an issue, with beetles such as the goldspotted oak borer spreading to a fourth southern California county, and pathogens, such as sudden oak death, are still spreading in some infested coastal counties despite unfavorable drought conditions.

“While the CFPC Annual Meetings are always a wealth of timely information, this year’s agenda really reflects the multitude of issues California’s urban and wildland forests are facing.  This will be a great opportunity to get everyone together in one place to share information and ideas.  The only way we can make a difference on so many fronts is for everyone to be at the table and talking,” said Bob Rynearson, CFPC Chair.

General Registration is available at http://caforestpestcouncil.org/2015/08/save-the-date-california-forest-pest-council-annual-meeting-november-4-5th-2015/ .

The agenda is available at http://caforestpestcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/10.21.15-CFPC-2015-Meeting-Agenda-for-Printing-and-Posting.pdf .

The Annual CFPC Meeting has been a forum for forestry industry (urban and wildland) representatives, researchers, land managers, and policy makers to share and discuss the latest information on California’s forest health issues since 1951.

CFPC members address topics of interest/concern through the Insect, Disease, Weed, Animal Damage, and Southern California Committees as well as through task forces that address more demanding invasive species issues (the California Oak Mortality Task Force-sudden oak death; California Firewood Task Force; and Pitch Canker Task Force).

For more information on the CFPC, go to http://caforestpestcouncil.org/ . 

For more information on the annual meeting or for media registration, contact Katie Harrell at 510-847-5482.