KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Santa paid a quick visit this week to the Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum to finalize his plans to be at the the Ely Christmas Marketplace this Saturday, Dec. 19.

He will be roaming the grounds and joining hayrides with the kids – weather permitting.

Bring your cameras as Santa is excited to be photographed with kids of all ages at the museum’s main house.

Local artists will be selling their handcrafted goods in the barn from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. that day. Goods will include jewelry, bath and beauty products, butcher blocks, up-cycled fabrics, wood creations, photography and more.

This December event will help promote the growth of the Ely Stage Stop Blacksmith Shop and further the interaction of the local community with the history of Lake County and the Ely Stage Stop.

Join the museum volunteers and docents for a fun-filled day on the museum grounds with Santa. Pick up that perfect last minute holiday gift and support Lake County artists.

The Lake County Historical Society’s Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum is located at 9921 Highway 281 (Soda Bay Road), Kelseyville.

For more information, check out www.elystagestop.com , www.lakecountyhistory.org , www.facebook.com/elystagestop or call 707.533.9990, during museum hours, Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3.p.m.

As California’s severe drought and bark beetle epidemic has left millions of trees dead, the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection last week voted to extend a drought mortality exemption to the state’s tree removal permitting process.

“With massive tree mortality across California, this exemption streamlines the process for landowners who are working to reduce their wildfire risk and safety hazards from falling trees by removing their dead trees,” said Helge Eng, Cal Fire’s deputy director of resource management.

On June 17, 2015, the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection initially adopted emergency regulations allowing specified forest management activities, including the cutting or removal of trees that are dead or dying as a result of the drought conditions across California.

The original action was set to expire on Jan. 12, 2016; however, the extension provides an additional 90 days for property owners to utilize the exemption when removing dead trees due to the drought.

The latest aerial survey estimated that over 29 million trees have died as a result of the drought and the effects of bark beetle infestation, up from 3.3 million in 2014.

These dead and dying trees create an environment more readily susceptible to dangerous and destructive wildfires.

“Even with recent rains it will likely take years to slow down the massive tree mortality and bark beetle infestation, said Eng. “Dead trees near homes, roads and public infrastructure create a fire hazard and public safety concern, so it’s critical that residents remove their dead trees and reduce their wildfire risk.”

The winter months typically provide a good time for landowners to remove dead trees as bark beetle activity generally stops when temperatures drop below 50º F and the beetles go dormant.

During other times of the year, when the beetles are active, trees with fresh cuts will actually attract beetles allowing them to spread to other trees.

Once a tree is infested with bark beetles, there is little that can be done to save the tree and it can be dead in three to four weeks.

The bark beetle epidemic has hit California’s wildland forests in the coastal ranges, mountains and foothill communities, posing particular threat where dead trees are near homes and private property.

In these areas, Cal Fire has launched a public outreach campaign to educate and motivate residents to take steps now to protect their home and property from wildfire.

The campaign began in the summer with the message “Remove Your Dead Trees. Reduce Your Wildfire Risk.” Property owners are encouraged to remove dead trees on their property to help protect from wildfire.

For more information from Cal Fire about how to protect trees and property and to learn more about the bark beetle threat, visit www.PrepareForBarkBeetle.org .

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Taylor Observatory-Norton Planetarium is hosting showings of “Mystery of the Christmas Star” through the beginning of January.

Shows are taking place at 7 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 19; Saturday, Dec. 26; and Saturday, Jan. 2.

There will be special meteor shower showings at 7 and 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 14. Visitors are invited to bring a lawn chair and watch the Geminid meteor shower after the show. They will have telescopes out and amateur astronomers will be on hand to answer questions.

The observatory is located at 5725 Oak Hills Lane, Kelseyville. Visit the observatory online at www.taylorobservatory.org .

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Survivors of the Butte and Valley fires who are receiving rental assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and whose home repairs are taking longer than expected should notify the agency of their continuing need.

Recertification is needed every 60 days for eligible renters and homeowners.

FEMA can provide up to 18 months of rental assistance for both homeowners and renters if they need to relocate while repairs are being made to their disaster-damaged residences.

To date, FEMA has approved $7.3 million in rental assistance.

An application for continued temporary housing is sent from FEMA to applicants approximately two weeks after the first rental award.

The recertification reaffirms that applicants have an ongoing financial need for temporary housing, either because disaster-related repairs are not completed or they have been unable to find permanent replacement housing.

Documents required for recertification include:

– The completed application;
– A copy of the current lease or rental agreement signed by the applicant;
– Rental receipts, canceled checks or money orders showing proper use of previous rental assistance;
– Current income statements from family members living in the household.

This form must be completed in full and turned in on time for each rental cycle to apply for continued assistance.

FEMA will evaluate the information each cycle to determine if the applicant qualifies for ongoing federal rental assistance, based on financial need.

An applicant’s current monthly rent is compared to the person’s housing costs before the disaster. Income for all household members, ongoing homeowner mortgage (or rent) insurance and utility costs for the damaged home and other housing commitment costs are all taken into consideration when determining continued eligibility.

Those with questions can call FEMA toll-free at 800-621-FEMA (3362). If you have a speech disability or hearing loss and use a TTY, call 800-462-7585 directly; if you use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – A local group is asking for donations of gifts for south county seniors.

“Stockings for Seniors” is collecting items to fill stockings for senior community members.

They are asking for beanies, gloves, scarves, socks, slippers, decks of cards, small flashlights, cologne, perfume, small bottles of hand lotion, personal items, candy, Visa gift cards and drawings from children.

Items can be dropped off at the Middletown Senior Center, 21256 Washington St. Dropoffs also can be coordinated in Lakeport by calling Haley at 707-533-7231 or in Lower Lake by calling Tavi at 707-533-5029.

Please have donations dropped off by Dec. 18.

For more information visit the group's Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1662149674067998/ .

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – On Nov. 19, 80 third graders from the Kelseyville Elementary School visited the Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum for a morning of living history demonstrations.

Museum docents provided eight stations of various activities through which groups of ten students rotated to get a better idea of how life was in the old days.
 
Demonstrations at the main house included clothes-washing by hand using vintage equipment, operating an antique corn sheller, a display and discussion of Lake County’s early dairy industry, the antique phone system that connects the Ely main house with the barn, and how the antique wood stove would have been used in an old time cook house.
 
Demonstrations in the barn included the handling of pioneer cookware, a discussion of the resident stage coach replica, and a display and hands-on opportunity to learn about horse tack from cowboy days.
 
Outside, on the Ely grounds, the groups got to see an antique engine in operation and also got the opportunity to hop on a San Francisco cable car from the 1800s. 
 
Ely docents were very happy to welcome the kids. They were so curious, asking their own great questions as well as answering those posed to them by the presenters.

Some of their comments offered to their teachers after returning to school included:
 
Sheyla: “I did not know that people had to boil water just to take a bath.”
 
Madison: “Wow, I did not know that the stage coach was pulled by six or eight horses.”
 
Omar: “I learned that old times are pretty cool, but pretty hard, too.”
 
Manny: “Now I know how hard it is to be a mom!”
 
Julian: “When I go back to the Stage Stop I will explore, learn and see new stuff.”
 
Located near Kelseyville, the Ely Stage Stop dates back to the 1860s and, over the years, served as a stagecoach stop, hotel, post office, general store and, at one point, even a gas station before taking on its current role as a historical and community center.

The museum strives to collect the stories of early Lake County. Visits by school children and other interested groups prove the value of preserving the history of Lake County and sharing it with County residents and visitors.
 
The Lake County Historical Society’s Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum is located at 9921 Highway 281 (Soda Bay Road) in Kelseyville. Current hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday or by special appointment.

Visit www.elystagestop.com or www.lakecountyhistory.org , check out the stage stop on Facebook at www.facebook.com/elystagestop or call the museum at 707-533-9990.