CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Mendo Lake Credit Union (MLCU) and North Coast Opportunities (NCO) will present a financial literacy workshop, free of charge and open to the public, in Lake and Mendocino counties.

“Earn It, Keep It, Save It – Your Money Matters” is scheduled for Saturday, May 23, 10 a.m. to noon, at Mendo Lake Credit Union, 14866 Olympic Drive, Clearlake.

The workshop will be presented Saturday, May 30, 10 a.m. to noon, at North Coast Opportunities, 413 N. Main St., Ukiah.

Participants will learn how to manage finances, protect their identities and build credit scores.

A free continental breakfast will be provided, and each workshop attendee will receive $25 in an MLCU account upon completion of the workshop.

Workshop seats are limited to 25 participants per session. To register, contact Rebecca Enberg at NCO via email, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or telephone, 707-462-1959.

Mendo Lake Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative and has been serving members’ financial needs since 1959.

MLCU branches are located in Lakeport, Clearlake, Fort Bragg and Ukiah. For more information, contact Jamey Gill, director of Marketing and Community Outreach, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-467-4809. 

The credit union is pleased to be working with NCO to present the free financial literacy workshops, said Gill.

As part of its commitment to its members, MLCU offers a variety of programs to assist individuals and businesses with financial know-how.

These include a series of “Money Wise” courses for all ages and the “Banzai” financial literacy courses for middle and high school students.

North Coast Opportunities was established under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to fight America’s war on poverty. 

As the Community Action Agency for Lake and Mendocino counties, NCO strives to strengthen the community through education, engagement, sustainability, and self-sufficiency.

For more information about NCO, contact Rebecca Enberg at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-462-1959.

WILLITS, Calif. – The Jackson Demonstration State Forest Advisory Group will meet on Monday, May 18.

Participants will meet at 8:30 a.m. at the Jackson Demonstration State Forest office, located at 802 N. Main St. in Fort Bragg and carpool to the field sites.  

This meeting is open to the public and public attendance is encouraged.  

Be prepared for weather and wear comfortable walking shoes.  

Attendees are responsible for their own transportation, lunch and water.  

The meeting agenda is posted at http://calfire.ca.gov/resource_mgt/resource_mgt_stateforests_jackson.php .

If anyone has any questions about Jackson Demonstration State Forest, please call 707-964-5674.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The 20th annual Heron Days, presented by the Redbud Audubon Society made it possible for more than 200 people to enjoy the fascinating wildlife and beautiful scenery of Clear Lake.

Pontoon boats, driven and donated by licensed volunteers left from Lakeside County Park on Saturday, May 2, and from Redbud Park on Sunday, May 3.

“Reports of participants from both days of the event were exciting and it was obvious everyone had a great time,” noted Redbud Audubon Society President Roberta Lyons. “On our boat going down Cache Creek, we saw a Great Blue Heron catch a small bass, turn it around in its bill and swallow it whole!”

There were reportedly thousands of Western and Clark’s Grebes on the north end of the lake, doing their rushing dances across the water as well as their head-bobbing mating approaches.

People came from as far away as Dixon, but many local Lake County folks took advantage of the opportunity to enjoy an hour and a half boat ride on Clear Lake, or down Cache Creek to view great blue heron nesting areas, numerous waterfowl, songbirds, osprey, otters, turtles and more.

The Redbud Audubon Society is a local, nonprofit organization associated with the National Audubon Society. 

The group presents programs on the third Thursday of the month September through April, sponsors field trips, and is active in conservation issues involving Lake County and Clear Lake.

If you are interested in birdwatching and conservation issues you are welcome to join. Current information on programs and meetings for the 2015-16 Audubon season, which starts in September, will be available soon.

Many thanks to the numerous volunteers who made this event possible, including boat drivers and captains, bird guides, and check-in staff.

Thanks also to Gene Renner, Tire Pros of Clearlake for his sponsorship donation, to Charlotte and Roy Disney at Disney Water Sports in Lakeport for loaning the use of a pontoon boat for Saturday’s tours, and to Bernie and Lynne Butcher of the Tallman Hotel and Blue Wing Saloon Restaurant for donating gift cards.

Go to www.redbudaudubon.org for information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or “like” the group on Facebook.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Konocti Lioness Club drew the winning numbers for its Mother Day gift basket fundraiser raffle on Saturday, May 9.

The winners were Shanna Hammond of Kelseyville and Mike Salter of Lower Lake. 

Both claimed their gift filed baskets after being notified of their win.

The Konocti Lioness Club fundraiser projects are for programs such as Diabetic Youth Foundation summer camps, Totes for Teens, Lake Count Community Pride Foundation’s “Safe House”, and other programs for youngsters at risk as well as Special Olympics, Meals on Wheels, The Wave of Hope and Lake County Christmas.

The club has held eye screening sessions at elementary and middle schools in Lake County and will continue this program next school year.

COBB, Calif. – The Lake County Pride Foundation will be hosting its eighth annual Safe House of Lake County Golf Tournament at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, June 13.

Make your own team or join another team in the four-person scramble.

Help support the Safe House of Lake County which is home for our teens dealing with homelessness, instability at home and more.

Golfing on the greens of beautiful Adams Springs Golf Course in Cobb will cost $50 and will include a golf cart.

A barbecue meal will be prepared after the tournament by the Lower Lake Community Action Committee for $20 a person. Make sure to browse the silent and live auction items from local vendors.

For reservations or more information, please contact Georgina Lehne at 707-987-7337 or Aggie Berry at 707-489-6524.

Gather your clubs, hit the greens, and come out to support our youth in need at the Safe House of Lake County.

You can always help out even if you don't golf. Individuals, companies and agencies can sponsor a hole and the sponsor's name is placed on a T-sign. Or you could donate goods or services – or cash to purchase items – for our silent and live auction.

Lake Community Pride Foundation is a nonprofit group who has been responsible for the success of the Safe House, a local teen shelter for homeless or troubled youth.

Lake Community Pride Foundation has also been a supporter of the youth performing arts programs offered at Lower Lake High School.

Lastly, Lake Community Pride Foundation also runs youth events such as Power to the Youth and Andy Day.

For more information on Lake Community Pride Foundation, visit www.lakecountypride.org .

HOPLAND, Calif. – Have you ever wondered where your wool sweater came from? Or just how to keep a 160-pound sheep still enough to shear it?

Join the Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC) team and friends from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 23, to get the answers to these and many more questions.

Expert shearer Matt Gilbert will be offering demonstrations with a few of HREC’s flock of more than 800 western whiteface sheep working as his models.

Visitors also will have the chance to see different kinds of wool from the fine, soft merino to the long, coarse Navajo-churros and to learn how they are graded.

Throughout the day Leslie Jensen, program coordinator from Elkus Ranch Environmental Education Center, will be giving a new use for Kool-Aid – using it to dye wool.

To complete the process there will be spinning demonstrations, workshops for children making simple spindles and even the chance to watch local weavers in action.

The day will provide opportunities for sheep farmers, fiber enthusiasts and families to get involved and learn more about every step of the process from sheep to sweater.

Visitors will be welcomed to the HREC new conference hall, The Rod Shippey Building, and will have chance to picnic on the grounds of the 5,300-acre center.

“We can’t wait to welcome the community to our beautiful site and to raise awareness of just one of the areas of research and education that we conduct up here. Our sheep are not only vital for the UC Cooperative Extension sheep shearing school but also for research into best management practices for rangelands and animal science,” said Hannah Bird, HREC community educator.

Admission is $5 for adults, children under 12 are welcomed for free (online registration or checks preferred).

HREC asks visitors to leave their pets at home to protect the site and the sheep resident there. Bring your own picnic and all utensils; some light food will be available from Mendocino 4-H.

Visit http://hrec.ucanr.edu/ to find out more and purchase your ticket.

Barn to Yarn will be held at the Rod Shippey Hall, 4070 University Road, Hopland.

For more information contact Hannah Bird, 707-744-1424, Extension 105, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .