The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) extended its thanks to U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer for passing the Farm Bill Conference Report (Farm Bill) in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.

Through the passage of the Farm Bill, federal Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding is now officially extended for FY 2014, providing resources for rural California counties to provide critical government services.

Lake County stands to receive $133,836 annually.

“Federal PILT funding is critical to California’s rural counties, and RCRC is grateful to Senators Feinstein and Boxer for voting to secure this one-year extension through the Farm Bill,” said Lee Adams, RCRC First Vice Chair and Sierra County Supervisor. “Now that we’ve secured the reauthorization for 2014, it’s time to work with Congress to enact a multi-year funding reauthorization, as was the process in years past.”

As part of the federal PILT program, California counties are due more than $41 million in annual funding to provide critical local government services, such as law enforcement, search and rescue, health care, environmental compliance, firefighting, and parks and recreation.

“RCRC has played a key role in helping to secure this extension for California counties, and I am pleased that this much needed funding will come to our rural communities,” said Adams.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Lake County Chapter of the California Retired Teachers Association will hold its quarterly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 11.

The luncheon meeting will be held at the Riviera Hills Restaurant, 10200 Fairway Drive in Kelseyville.  

In lieu of a speaker this month, the chapter will have a silent auction with all proceeds directed to the scholarship fund.  

Each year the chapter provides two scholarships to local students attending college in pursuit of a career in education.

Those members attending the meeting are requested to bring items suitable for the silent auction.

Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. followed by a business meeting at 10 a.m. Lunch will be served at noon.

The menu consists of Chicken Marsala with rice, vegetables, salad, dessert, coffee and tea. The cost is $15 including tax and tip.

All retired teachers, whether or not they are retired from a Lake County school, are invited to attend.  

Reservations can be made by calling Julie at 707-279-2625.  

Transportation can be arranged for those who need it.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Have you ever wondered how to do genealogy in your sleep? Do you want to have storytelling super powers? Do you want to learn how genealogists are using DNA to help in their research?  

These questions and more, including the “Top 10 Things I Learned About My Family from My Couch,” will be covered at the RootsTech Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, Feb. 6-8.

RootsTech, the world’s largest family history and technology conference, announced that 15 of its popular sessions will be broadcast live and complimentary over the Internet.

Check out the schedule at www.familysearch.org/node/2519 .  

Streaming videos begin on Feb. 6 at 3:30 a.m. Pacific Time.

There are more than 10,000 people registered to attend, among them from Lake County are Cathy Farris, director of the Family History Center in Lakeport, Elvira Fontaine and Regina Farris.

“I’m excited to be attending classes to learn how new technology with DNA can help further your family history research,” said Farris.

She also expects to learn some more powerful techniques for doing genealogy research, including updates on www.familysearch.org .

As director of the Family History Center, Farris plans to hold classes in Lakeport to share what she learns at the conference.

The Family History Center in Lakeport is located in the Lakeport Ward building of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 600 16th St.

It is open to the public Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 1 to 4 p.m., Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., and by appointment; call 707-263-1626.

The Lake County Genealogical Society also provides a class on Tuesdays from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Join California State Assembly candidate Dan Wolk for a get-together in Clearlake on Saturday, Feb. 8.

The event will take place beginning at 4 p.m. at The Spot Burgers & Beer, 14625 Lakeshore Drive.

Come enjoy some great food and drink, chat with Wolk about your ideas for the future of California, and about his vision for restoring the “California Dream.”

For more information and to RSVP, please contact Will Arnold at 530-219-8918, or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

To learn more about Wolk or to join Team Wolk, please visit http://www.DanWolk.org .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Children's Museum of Art and Science (CMAS) is a volunteer organization providing art and science activities in schools and during its day camp, held the first Saturday in May.

CMAS will hold its next meeting at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 14, in Clearlake.

At the meeting, they will plan the day camp activities and next Lego Robot program.

Any interested volunteers are welcome to attend the meeting. For meeting address, please call Carolynn at 707-994-2878.

Currently CMAS is running a Lego Robot program in after-school programs and elementary school classrooms by request.

So far this year they have provided services at Lucerne, the Riviera and Pomo Elementary schools.

Any teachers interested in having CMAS provide the Lego Robots in their classroom or after-school program can call Billy at 707-279-1514 to schedule.

The program is free of charge and usually includes three sessions of about two hours each.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Clear Lake Trowel & Trellis Garden Club invites prospective new members to attend its Tuesday, Feb. 18, meeting.

The meeting begins at noon with a buffet lunch at the Scotts Valley Women's Clubhouse, 2298 Hendricks Road, Lakeport.

Master Gardener Jim Held will give a presentation on garden tools.

For more information call 707-263-0889.