NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – For the convenience of North Bay residents and others who may be traveling abroad soon, the U.S. Postal Service will host a series of passport fairs throughout the month of June.

Post Offices from Sausalito to Crescent City will be hosting passport fairs to help globe trekkers prepare for their future travel plans.

Families and individuals will be able to apply for passports on a walk-in basis without taking time off from work, school or other weekday activities.

No appointments are necessary.

The passport fairs will be held at the following Post Office locations at dates and times listed below.

Lakeport Post Office
1151 11th St., Lakeport
Thursday, June 26
1 to 4 p.m.

Rio Dell Post Office
315 Wildwood Ave., Rio Dell
Thursday, June 19
9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Languages spoken: Spanish

Redway Post Office
3400 Redwood Drive, Redway
Thursday, June 19
8:45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Gualala Post Office
39225 S. Highway 1, Gualala
Thursday, June 19
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Rohnert Park Post Office
150 Raley’s Towne Center, Rohnert Park
Thursday, June 19
10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Sebastopol Post Office
290 S. Main St., Sebastopol
Saturday, June 21
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Sausalito Post Office
150 Harbor Drive, Sausalito
Thurday, June 26
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    
Corte Madera Post Office
7 Pixley Ave., Corte Madera
Thursday, June 26
10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Crescent City Post Office
751 2nd St., Crescent City
Thursday, June 26
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
    
Mill Valley Post Office
751 E Blithedale Ave., Mill Valley
Saturday, June 28
10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

North Bay P & DC Post Office
1150 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma
Saturday, June 28
9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

USPS passport acceptance agents will be on hand to process passport applications and take passport photos.

To obtain a passport, applicants need proof of U.S. Citizenship and a valid form of photo identification such as a driver’s license.

A certified copy of a birth certificate (not a California abstract or photocopy) is the best proof of citizenship.

One photograph is required, and can be taken at the passport event. The fee for a passport book for first-time adult participants is $110 and $30 for a passport card.

The fee for minors under the age of 16 is $80 for a passport book and $15 for a passport card.

There is also a $25 processing fee per application.

Parents applying for passport books/cards for children under the age of 15 must both be present along with the child.

An expedited service fee of $60, plus Priority Express Mail postage, will reduce processing time to less than three weeks (normally it is four to six weeks).

Passport photos are $15. Payment accepted in the form of cash, check or money orders only.

Check the U.S. State Department’s consular Web site at http://travel.state.gov for more passport information.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The board of KPFZ will hold its next meeting on Thursday, June 19.

The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the main office, 149 N. Main St, Lakeport.

The public is encouraged to attend this regular monthly meeting.

Note that this is a change from the usual time the board meets.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Fair Board will meet on Monday, June 23.

The meeting will begin at 4:45 p.m. at the administration office at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St., Lakeport.

Action items include consideration of joining the CFSA property insurance pool.

There also will be committee reports, an update on the Spring Fair and discussion of times, admission prices, carnival and grandstand entertainment for the regular fair at the end of the summer.

Fair board directors include President Janeane Bogner, Vice President Marcia Chauvin, Sham Cochrane, Annette Hopkins, Meyo Marrufo, Jerry McQueen, Carol Brandt and Doug Rhoades.

For more information call the fair office at 707-263-6181 or visit the fair online at www.lakecountyfair.com .

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – On Saturday June 14th, just minutes before 10 a.m., the SPCA lobby was packed full of eager men, women and children waiting to see the adoptable cats and kittens available during the Kitten Smitten Adoption Event, which ran through Sunday, June 15.

All adoptable kittens and cats were available for the low cost of $15, including vaccines and spay or neuter.

One family present included three generations, and while Mom, Dad, and the kids took home a new kitten, Grandma fell in love with one of the dogs out back, taking it home as well.

The two-day event drew a steady stream of people and ended up placing 15 cats or kittens and nine dogs or puppies in new forever homes.

SPCA of Clear Lake would like to thank the volunteers and staff that made this event possible, as well as Dr. Glenn Benjamin DVM, who volunteered his services of spaying, neutering and vaccinating, and Boehringer Ingelheim who donated the vaccines.   

SPCA of Clear Lake is always happy to take donations of cat or dog supplies, as well as cleaning supplies to keep everything nice and clean.

Visit www.spcaofclearlake.org for a complete list of needed supplies.

If you haven’t been to the SPCA of Clear Lake lately, you will notice upon arrival there are lots of exciting new programs.

Coming next month: a gift shop. Calling all crafters: If you or someone you know likes to make cat toys, dog sweaters, leashes, collars, pet tags or anything else pet-oriented, and you would like to donate these items to the SPCA gift shop, they would love to hear from you.

Visit the SPCA at 8025 Highway 29 in Kelseyville or call them at 707-279-1400 for more information.

COBB, Calif. – The Friends of Boggs Mountain will host a talk by Joshua Hamrick, Student Conservation Association (SCA) Wilderness inventory intern of the Upper Lake office of the Mendocino National Forest (MNF), on Saturday, June 21.

The gathering will begin at 10 a.m. at Boggs Mountain.
 
Hamrick, who graduated with a major in ecology and evolutionary biology at Marshall University in West Virginia, came on board this past April, and has spent the last three months scouting trails in the Snow Mountain Wilderness, and assessing the prevalence of various non-native invasive plant species in the area.

Among the target list of about 35 non-native invasive plant species are yellow starthistle, Canada, bull and milk thistles, teasel, Scotch, French and Spanish broom, tamarisk and various grasses.

The audience will learn how invasive species can impact native habitats and wildlife, and ways we can help preserve our native habitats.

Part of Hamrick's internship includes projects in wilderness education and outreach, and those interested in visiting the Snow Mountain Wilderness will benefit from his knowledge gathered from recent hikes and backpacking explorations of the area.

Please bring a foldable chair for the talk. Refreshments will be available.

The venue will be across the main parking lot at Boggs Mountain.

The forest entrance is located off Highway 175, just one and a half miles north of Cobb Village, at the blue State Fire Station/Boggs Mountain Forest sign.

For further information, please contact Gigi Stahl at 707-809-5299.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Five-year-old Lily Morita sold her unique recipe "Vaderade" to celebrate the start of summer.

Customers from Riviera Elementary School and the community stopped by the stand last week before beginning their summer break.

A portion of the proceeds will go to Star Wars: Force for Change to benefit UNICEF.