NORTH COAST, Calif. – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around the North Coast during the coming week.

Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.

LAKE COUNTY
 
Highway 20

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from Scott Valley Road to the junction of Routes 20/29 through Friday, March 6. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.
 
– PG&E has been issued a Caltrans encroachment permit for tree trimming from Third Street to Country Club Drive on Wednesday, March 11. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from the junction of Routes 20/53 to New Long Valley Road through Friday, March 6. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
MENDOCINO COUNTY
 
Highway 1

– PG&E has been issued a Caltrans encroachment permit for utility repairs 1.1 miles north of Signal Port Creek Road on Tuesday, March 10. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 4. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– Paving near Seaside Beach will continue through Friday, March 6. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.
 
Highway 101

– Caltrans will perform slide repairs near the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge (near Frog Woman Rock). Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.
 
– Highway construction from Casteel Lane to the north Willits railroad crossing will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.
 
– PG&E has been issued a Caltrans encroachment permit for tree trimming just south of Confusion Hill on Tuesday, March 10. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.  
 
– Pavement repairs near Piercy will continue. Southbound traffic will be restricted to one lane from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns. LC#C101BA
 
Highway 128

– PG&E has been issued a Caltrans encroachment permit for utility repairs near Haehl Street beginning Tuesday, March 10. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
Highway 162

– PG&E has been issued a Caltrans encroachment permit for utility repairs 1.4 miles west of Bloody Run Creek beginning Thursday, March 12. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– PG&E has been issued a Caltrans encroachment permit for utility repairs 1.9 miles east of the Rodeo Creek Bridge beginning Thursday, March 12. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
Highway 253

– PG&E has been issued a Caltrans encroachment permit for tree trimming from 3.3 miles east of Butler Ranch Road to State Street through Friday, March 6. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 5-minute delays.  LC#P253BA

Caltrans advises motorists to drive with caution when approaching work areas and to be prepared to stop at traffic control stations.
 
The Caltrans Traffic Operations Office has reviewed each project and determined that individual project delays are expected to be less than the statewide policy maximum of 30 minutes, unless noted otherwise above.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Proceeds from a beautiful opportunity quilt have been donated to Operation Tango Mike.

OTM provides monthly care packages to deployed military personnel.

Many service members have no one to support them and some families simply cannot afford the costs of packing and shipping.

An all-volunteer mission, OTM, makes a difference in the lives of service members serving in combat zones, far from home and in harm's way.

The quilt named “Sunday Drive,” designed and hand crafted by Kerrie Hershey, was won by Debbie Hedges of Redwood Valley.

Wildhurst Tasting Room and Bird Brain Designs, both in Kelseyville, and Umpqua Bank in Lakeport displayed the opportunity quilt prior to the donation.

Hershey has published a book, “Sunday Drive,” showing how to make each of these 12 quilt designs which are also blocks on the Lake County Quilt Trail.

The book can be purchased at Kerrie’s Quilting, located at 1853 N. High St. in Lakeport.

Call Hershey at 707-263-8555 for more information.

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

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Shannon Michele of Cache Creek Catering and Lake County Wine Studio are presenting a monthly food and wine series featuring gourmet appetizers paired with select Lake County wines.

Locally produced foods are proudly featured as key ingredients in recipes created by Cache Creek Catering.

The series is held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on the second Friday of each month.

The per person cost is $30 and $25 for Wine Studio club members. Reservations are required.

At the March 13 event, the first course will feature Six Sigma Pinot Noir with a salad of spinach and arugula, toasted almonds, chevré and strawberry balsamic, followed by leg of lamb seasoned with garlic and rosemary and roasted heirloom potatoes alongside, paired with Gregory Graham Grenache.

The dessert course will be a lemon mousse with raspberry coulis and coconut Madeleines paired with Brassfield Estate Late Harvest Riesling.

For reservations and additional information, contact Susan at 707-293-8752.
 
Lake County Wine Studio is both a gallery for display of arts and a tasting room, wine bar and retail shop for the fine wines of Lake County.

Artist’s shows are held on a monthly basis with art and wine receptions held the first Friday and subsequent Saturday of each month except in January.
 
The gallery is located at 9505 Main St. in Upper Lake. It is open Mondays, 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays, from 1 to 7 p.m.; and Fridays, from 1 to 8 p.m.

The art show on display for the month of March features works in a variety of mediums by artist Anna Sabalone.

For more information call Lake County Wine Studio at 707-275-8030.

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 .

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.