SAN FRANCISCO – For some motorists, a trip to the auto repair shop can feel like visiting a foreign country. It’s a strange environment that makes them uneasy.

But talking to your auto technician doesn’t have to be stressful if you follow some simple advice from AAA Northern California.

 

“AAA wants drivers to know that a visit to a repair shop can be much easier, and less stressful, than they might initially think,” said AAA Northern California spokesperson Matt Skryja. “One of the best ways to find a trusted auto technician is going to a AAA Approved Auto Repair facility. These shops meet stringent AAA auto repair standards for quality, integrity and professionalism. Shops can be located online at www.aaa.com/repair .”

 

When communicating with an automotive technician, AAA offers the following advice:

 

• Write down notes. Before taking the vehicle to a repair facility, write down notes on the vehicle’s symptoms and performance so important information is not overlooked or forgotten. Include any observations, even if they seem silly or irrelevant.

• Describe the symptoms. Don’t suggest a solution. Instead, explain what has been seen, smelled, heard and felt while driving the vehicle. For example, does it vibrate or pull to the left? Explain under what type of driving conditions the problems takes place and how long ago it started.

• Be precise. For example, explain that a rattle under the hood starts at 40 miles per hour or an issue occurs only on cold days after the engine has been running for 10 minutes.

• Say driver’s side or passenger’s side. When describing symptoms, don’t say they’re on the left or right side of the vehicle. Instead, say driver’s or passenger’s side to avoid confusion.

• Bring copies of recent repair orders. This can help explain a vehicle’s problems.

Motorists should ask questions if a technician uses jargon they don’t understand.

Also, be sure to read over repair orders before signing them and insist that descriptions of parts, not just the serial numbers, appear on the bill.

Before authorizing a repair, be sure to get a written description of any warranty the shop provides.

NICE – Come celebrate the new year with a dinner and dance at the Sons of Italy on Thursday, Dec. 31.

They will serve prime rib with all the trimmings, baked potato, vegetables, salad, rolls and a special midnight dessert buffet with a champagne toast at the Sons of Italy Club Hall, 2817 E. Highway 20 in Nice.

The bar is open for socializing at 5 p.m. then dinner will be served at 7 p.m.

Enjoy dancing to music of Ukiah's John Rizzo and the Grateful Dawgs, right after the meal.

All tickets are $30 at the door.

Everyone is welcome.

For information about this event or renting the hall for your own, call 707-274-9952.

LAKEPORT – The Lake County Area of Narcotics Anonymous is pleased to announce their annual New Year’s Eve dance.

This event will be held Thursday, Dec. 31, at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St., Lakeport.

Doors open at 6 p.m., and the event ends at 1 a.m.

The night will begin with dinner, potluck dessert and a speaker meeting, followed by a raffle and dance.

Tickets are $10 in advance of the event or $15 at the door.

Call Tony C. at 707-631-2182 for more information about ticket sales.

As always, no one will be turned away from this event for lack of ability to pay. After the dance, everyone is invited to attend the first NA meeting of the year.

Narcotics Anonymous is a nonprofit group of people who meet regularly to help each other stay clean. There are meetings held every day of the week all around the lake.

For more information about NA, please call the local helpline at 707-262-0132.

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is sponsoring a video contest that challenges filmmakers and students to produce short, creative videos that highlight the “Three R’s” of individual consumption: reduce, reuse, recycle.

The EPA expects to award cash prizes up to $2,500 and will be accepting video submissions through February 16, 2010.

The competition “Our Planet, Our Stuff, Our Choice” calls for short, creative videos that examine consumption and recycling and offer community based solutions.

"What we buy, use, and throw away contributes over 40 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States," said Jeff Scott, the EPA’s director of the Waste Management Division for the Pacific Southwest Region. "We want to get the message out about how important it is for each of us to take personal action to help the environment."

Entries should be 30-60 seconds in length and promote steps individuals and organizations can take to minimize negative environmental impacts within their communities on the following topics: reducing and reusing; recycling; composting; consumption and its effect on environmental footprint.

The winning submissions will be announced in April 2010 in time for the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.

Awards will be given to the top three videos in the following amounts, as well as a special “Student Winner” category exclusively for submissions by persons 13 to 18 years old at the time of entry: first place, $2,500; second place, $1,500; third place, $1,000; two student winners (13 to 18 years old), $500 each.

Quick facts:

• In 2008, Americans produced and threw away 216.8 million tons of trash, much of which is recyclable, compostable or just not necessary.

• Between 1960 and 2008 the amount of waste each person creates has almost doubled from 2.7 to 4.5 pounds per day.

• Recycling and reuse employs approximately 1.1 million people, generates an annual payroll of nearly $37 billion, and grosses over $236 billion in annual revenues.

• Reducing consumption, recycling, and composting can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

• 31 million tons of food waste ends up in landfills or incinerators each year. Instead this valuable material could be composted or anaerobically digested to create fertilizer or energy.

For more information on the “Our Planet, Our Stuff, Our Choice,” please visit http://bit.ly/5Vh1Gw .

UKIAH – Run-to-Win campaign training is offered by Mendocino chapter of National Women’s Political Caucus (NWPC) Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the SEIU Hall, 655 King Court, Ukiah.

“Women considering a first run for public office and political veterans should attend this valuable training to learn how to run to win without costly consultants and media budgets,” said CTA Women’s Leadership Trainer and NWPC-Mendocino President Val Muchowski of Philo.

Campaign skills training will be taught by NWPC certified trainers Ginger Pohlson of Willits, Estelle Clifton of Ukiah, and Susanne La Faver of Hidden Valley Lake, Lake County; and SEIU Labor Organizer Linda McClure of Ukiah.

Besides skills training, the day-long session includes campaign handbook, lunch with a panel of politically knowledgeable women, and a wine reception. Topics include why run, getting started, fund raising, campaign team, nuts and bolts, endorsements and online campaigning.

The luncheon panel of elected women, moderated by Estelle Clifton, includes Mendocino County Supervisor Carre Brown, Mendocino County District Attorney Meredith Lintott, and Ukiah City Councilmember Mari Rodin.

Training is geared for candidates with budgets of $25,000 or less and campaign teams of family, friends, community activists and political veterans.

Registration is $25. Cost for students, low-income women and SEIU members is $15.

For registration forms and more information, call Estelle Clifton at 707-462-6620.

Make check payable to NWPC-PAC and mail with registration form to National Women’s Political Caucus, PO Box 1140, Ukiah, CA., 95482.  Last day to register or cancel is Jan. 5, 2010.

The National Women’s Political Caucus is a nationwide multi-partisan organization working to build women’s participation in the political process and increasing the number of women in elected and appointed positions, by recruiting, training, and supporting women who seek those elected and appointed offices.

CLEARLAKE – The Clearlake Christmas Light Parade on Saturday, Dec. 5, was a wonderful community event, featuring many parade floats of light and this years theme was Christmas in Paradise.

The following is a list of parade winners:

 

• Best automobile theme winner: Lake County As.

• Best float: Girl Scouts.

• Best funniest group/ float: Clearlake Car Club.

• Best costumes: Yuba College.

• “Christmas in Paradise” theme: Orchard Park.

• Best choir: Performance Mechanical.

fter the parade children and families visited with Santa and Mrs. Claus with the help of Davis Photography, Lakeshore Lions and Lioness provided cocoa and cookies, and a very special Christmas tree lighting by Lake County Hospice.

This year's event was taped by TV8 and Carle High School so you can enjoy this event several times throughout the month of December.

The city of Clearlake, Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce and Lake County Hospice collaborated to host this festive event, with many thanks to the following to make this event wonderful: Americorps, Carle High School, City of Clearlake's Public Works Department, Davis Photography, musician Dennis Chrisp, Judge and Mrs. Freeborn, Thomas Hewlett DDS, Jones & Lewis Chapel, Judy Thein, Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Leonard, Lakeshore Lions and Lioness of Clearlake, Lakeshore Fire, Lower Lake High School Jazz Bands and Choir, Mendo Mill, PEG Channel TV8, Russ Cremer and Family, Shore Line Realty and the many chamber members and volunteers.