LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lakeport Enhanced Educational Foundation, a nonprofit community-based organization providing financial support to education in Lakeport, is having its annual fundraiser called “Party with A Purpose.”

The fun dinner, dance and auction fundraiser will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 14, in Fritch Hall at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St.

It is a catered dinner dance featuring local professional musicians, an exciting live auction, a silent auction and a balloon raffle.

Tickets are available at Terrace Middle School, Clear Lake High School and Linda's Hallmark.

Donations from local businesses are the heart of the event.

LEEF will auction a painted 4-foot by 4-foot quilt block called “Nine Patch On-Point,” donated by the Lake County Quilt Trail, an agricultural and tourism project designed to promote and celebrate community pride.

The quilt block was designed, drawn and painted by volunteers of the Lake County Quilt Trail.

For more information visit www.lakecountyquilttrail.com or https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-Quilt-Trail/187014251326163 .

As part of National Consumer Protection Week, Attorney General Kamala D. Harris is alerting Californians to the threat of tax-related identity theft and issuing tips on how consumers can protect themselves during the tax filing process.

Tax-related identity theft commonly occurs when thieves send phishing emails that appear to be from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the Franchise Tax Board (FTB), asking for personal information or including links to official-looking web sites.

Thieves may also use stolen personal information to file tax returns in someone else’s name in order to obtain a refund.

Tax season safety tips

– Beware of unsolicited phone calls, emails or texts from anyone claiming to be from the IRS or the California Franchise Tax Board. If in doubt, contact the agency using the contact information in the Resources section below.

– Never open an email or a text message that says it is from the IRS or the Franchise Tax Board; they are always fraudulent. State and federal tax agencies never initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text message or social media to request personal or financial information or to send notice regarding audits or refunds.
 
– If you think you have a tax identity theft problem or receive a letter from the IRS or the FTB stating that someone has already filed using your information, contact the agency. See the contact information in the Resources section below.

– When preparing your tax return for electronic filing, be sure to use a unique strong password on your online filing accounts. A strong password is eight or more characters, including letters, numbers and symbols. Use a unique password for each of your tax filing accounts.

– Think beyond the password. For greater security, you can get an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) for your e-filing account with the IRS. A new PIN is provided each year by the IRS. See the Resources section for more information.

– Check on the availability of two-step authentication to protect your tax filing accounts (and other online accounts containing sensitive information, such as your email and social media accounts). Two-step authentication offers stronger protection than just a password and username. The process (also called login approval or multi-factor authentication) adds a second factor, such as a one-time use code that is sent to you by email, phone or text. You enter that code, along with your username and password, to get access to your account. For more on two-step authentication, see the Resources section below.

Resources

Internal Revenue Service

Identity theft: www.irs.gov/Individuals/Identity-Protection , www.irs.gov/Individuals/Indications-your-identity-may-have-been-stolen-and-how-to-report-it-to-us ; telephone, 800-908-4490

Tax scams: www.irs.gov/uac/Tax-Scams-Consumer-Alerts

Identity protection PIN: www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-An-Identity-Protection-PIN

California Franchise Tax Board

Identity theft: www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/id_theft.shtml ; ID Theft Resolution Coordinator Web information: 916-845-3669

California Attorney General

Identity Theft Protection and First Aid: www.oag.ca.gov/idtheft

Two-Step Authentication

www.stopthinkconnect.org/campaigns/details/?id=460

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Team Joshua P and friends are excited to raise money for the fourth year towards Autism Speaks.

This year will be the first fashion show to support Autism Speaks, which will be held at the Twin Pine Casino Event Center in Middletown from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, March 13. Doors will open at 6 p.m.

Old Navy will be outfitting the models with their Kids 2015 Spring and Summer Collection.

Advance tickets are available for purchase at the Big Chill Frozen Yogurt Shop, located at 18990 Coyote Valley Road, Suite 16, Hidden Valley Lake, or contact Rani Patentreger at 415-509-1485.

Tickets are $20 each, which includes a delicious pasta dinner, nonalcoholic beverage, fashion show, vendors, raffle participation and a $5 free play card courtesy of Twin Pine Casino.

Vendors will be selling products for children and adults including apparel and accessories, toys, craft supplies, handmade bags and notebooks, jewelry, candles, Scentsy, cosmetics, nail wraps, natural lotions, chocolate and cakes.

An estimated 1 in 42 boys and 1 in 189 girls are diagnosed with Autism in the United States. The coordinator is sponsoring this fundraiser because her son Joshua is 10 years old and was diagnosed when he was 4. He is a very happy boy, loves singing and basketball, but has faced challenges that Autism Speaks is working to address.

The mission of Autism Speaks is to improve lives for all those under the Autism spectrum.

For some, this means the development and delivery of more effective treatments that can address significant challenges in communications and physical health. For others, it means increasing acceptance, respect and support.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Kindness and Generosity Scholarship Fund applications are now being accepted for the upcoming eight week Compassion-based Mindfulness for Stress Reduction, Personal Clarity and Emotional Freedom courses.

The courses begin in Lucerne on Tuesday, March 17, at Marymount California University, Lakeside Campus and on Thursday, March 19, at the Main Street Gallery in Lakeport.
 
Applications will be accepted through March 12, and can be found at http://www.companioningthesacredjourney.com/courses.html .
 
Local mindfulness teacher, JoAnn Saccato, MA, uses the fund as a way to help those wishing to take the eight-week course who may not otherwise be able to attend.

“"We've had over eight full scholarships and many partial scholarships awarded since the fund started,” said. “Some course attendees have had life-changing transformations in just the first few sessions.”
 
The eight-week compassion-based mindfulness courses are designed to help attendees learn the practice of mindfulness and create a meaningful daily routine that includes benefits such as stress reduction and personal clarity with a focus on learning to respond from a place of intended values, rather than blind reaction.
 
Mindfulness as a practice has been shown to help reduce stress related illnesses, improve concentration and focus, and assist with sleep, depression, anxiety and gastrointestinal disorders.

The research indicates that when it is coupled with a compassion practice, the benefits of mindfulness increase.

The course also includes work with journaling and setting intentions, "giving a well-rounded set of tools to help navigate life, increase satisfaction, reduce stress and gain resiliency," added Saccato.
 
Early application is encouraged, as scholarships are awarded on a first come, first serve basis. 

Full information on the course and links to the scholarship application can be found at  http://www.CompanioningTheSacredJourney.com/courses.html or by calling Saccato at 707-350-1719.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – On Saturday, March 7, Kelseyville Presbyterian will host its Housing Task Force brisket dinner and dessert auction beginning at 6 p.m. 

Tickets are still available by calling 707-279-1104. The cost is just $12 for adults and $8 for children under 10.

Enjoy a melt-in-your-mouth brisket dinner, and then stay for the delectable dessert auction, with desserts by some of the church's best cooks.

Silent auction items are available as well, and there are a variety of different items on which to bid.

Kelseyville Presbyterian Church is located at 5340 Third St., behind Westamerica Bank in Kelseyville.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA  – Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA-03) will host a grants seminar on Wednesday, March 11, in Marysville, featuring collaborative sessions and grant experts.

The event will be held at the Yuba County Government Center, 915 Eighth St.

The workshop will be held from 10 to 11:30 a.m., with a keynote and community network luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and sector group sessions from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

The seminar will begin with a workshop for beginning grant writers – providing invaluable information for nonprofits and local government agencies.

With an increasing shortfall of local, state, and federal funding, critical needs and services are being overlooked in local communities.

Despite the cuts, local nonprofit and community leaders have been resilient, stepping up to serve those in need in collaborative and innovative ways.

This grants seminar aims to help local agencies and community nonprofits identify funding opportunities and build organizational capacity.

It is a free event open to representatives from all government agencies and nonprofits serving the Third District.

The keynote luncheon will include remarks from Garamendi, US Department of Agriculture State Director Glenda Humiston and Sierra Health Foundation President Chet Hewitt.

Group session topics will include community and economic development; health and well being; social, veteran, seniors and family services; environment and agriculture; arts and culture; and education and youth.

The grants seminar is part of Congressman Garamendi’s newly formed Grants Initiative Network, a collaborative effort among local community leaders to provide continuing grant resources throughout the year, working to bring more federal grants to the Third District.

The Grants Initiative Network’s work includes a quarterly newsletter and a guidebook. In addition, Garamendi is continuing and expanding his office’s efforts to write letters of support to local government agencies providing valuable services to our communities.

To receive updates from the Grants Initiative Network, including information on letters of support, e-mail Andrew Kim at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 530-753-5301.

To RSVP to the grants seminar, e-mail Andrew March at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 530-753-5301. An optional RSVP is also available on Facebook at http://j.mp/GrantsSeminar .