LAKE COUNTY, Calif. –The next HazMobile event will be held Friday, Nov. 21, and Saturday, Nov. 22, at Highlands Senior Service/Community Center, 3245 Bowers Ave., Clearlake.

Hours will be from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Households can bring up to 15 gallons of toxic items free of charge.

Fees will be charged for amounts over 15 gallons.

Items that are accepted include paint, solvents, fuels, five-gallon propane tanks, pool chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, batteries, fluorescent light tubes (up to 60 linear feet), and other toxic materials that cannot be put in the trash.

Items that cannot be accepted include televisions, computer monitors, ammunition, explosives, radioactive materials or infectious wastes.

To learn how and where to properly dispose these items, please visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us or contact the Recycling Hotline at 707-263-1980.

HazMobile services are provided to residential households by the Integrated Waste Management Division of the Lake County Public Services Department and the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle).

Businesses also are welcome to use this convenient service to properly dispose of hazardous waste and protect our environment, however, businesses must pay for this taxpayer-funded service and first make an appointment.

Business appointments can be made by calling the Mendocino County Solid Waste Authority, the contracted agency that provides this service in Lake County at 707-468-9786.

Free recycling options for residents and businesses:

Recycled paint is available to both residents and businesses at Lake County Waste Solutions on first-come, first-served basis in five gallon containers. Colors include tan, brown, gray and pink.

Used cooking oil can be dropped-off by businesses and residents, which will be recycled into BioDiesel by Yokayo BioFuels. Drop-off at Lake County Waste Solutions, South Lake Refuse & Recycling Center, and the Northshore Fire Protection District station at 6257 Seventh Ave. in Lucerne.

Used motor oil can be dropped-off by residents for recycling year round at a number of sites in the county. Visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us for locations.

Electronics (E-waste) can be dropped-off at Lake County Waste Solutions, South Lake Refuse & Recycling Center, and monthly at the Goodwill E-Waste collection held in Lakeport.

Lake County Waste Solutions
230 Soda Bay Road, Lakeport
888-718-4888 or 707-234-6400
Monday – Saturday, 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
www.candswaste.com 

South Lake Refuse & Recycling Center
16015 Davis Street, Clearlake
Open daily 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
707-994-8614
www.southlakerefuse.com

The HazMobile program is subsidized by the Lake County Public Services Department, Integrated Waste Management Division and CalRecycle as a public service to Lake County residents.

For more information about recycling, reusing, and reducing, please visit www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us or call the Recycling Hotline at 707-263-1980.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – “Wings of Hope,” a family bereavement program under the Hospice Services of Lake County has received a monetary gift from the Konocti Art Society.

Jeannie Landon-Myers of the Konocti Art Society recently presented a check for $500 to Hospice Services of Lake County Executive Director Anja Koot.

The gift will be used to fund therapeutic art projects for children.

The money was earned by Konocti Art Society artists from decorated boxes they created and offered at this year's Kelseyville Pear Festival.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – All branches of the Lake County Library system will be closed Nov. 11 to observe Veterans Day.

All branches of the Lake County Library system will be closed Nov. 27 to 28 to observe Thanksgiving.

Normal hours at all branches will resume on Nov. 29.

Call your local branch if you have any questions.

Lakeport Library, located at 1425 N. High St., is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The phone number is 707-263-8817.

Redbud Library, 14785 Burns Valley Road, Clearlake, is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, noon to 7 p.m. The phone number is 707-994-5115.

Middletown Library, 21256 Washington St., is open Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The phone number is 707-987-3674.

Upper Lake Library, 310 Second St., is open Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The phone number is 707-275-2049.

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – Mulligan's Bar and Grill in Hidden Valley Lake will host a Halloween dance party on Friday, Oct. 31.

The party will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the bar, 19210 Hartmann Road.

There will be no cover charge.

The Mark Weston Band will perform.

There also will be dinner and drink specials.

For more information call 707-987-3146.

COBB, Calif. – The Village Pub on Cobb is having a Halloween costume party at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1.

Dance to the local band Twice as Good.

There will be a  $100 prize for the best male and female costume.

A $5 cover will be charged.

The Village Pub is located at 21365 Highway 175, telephone 707-928-4500.

With any number of spooky creatures wandering around Northern and Central California this week, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is helping its customers shield their energy bills from budget-sucking Vampire Appliances.

“Unlike their fanged cousins, Vampire Appliances suck away money from customers’ wallets day and night by using energy even when they appear to be turned off,” said Tim Fitzpatrick, PG&E’s chief communications officer.“

Every year, these budget-suckers account for about 10 percent of an average household's energy bill, according to the Association of Energy Services Professionals, and idle gadgets waste more than 100 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, reports the Environmental Protection Agency – costing consumers a terrifying $10 billion each year.

To help raise awareness of the threat posed by Vampire Appliances, PG&E is announcing its list of Top Ten Vampire Appliances for 2014, in order of their energy-sucking appetite:

1. Flat screen televisions
2. Home computers (laptops and desktops)
3. Video game consoles
4. Digital video recorders
5. Cable boxes
6. Cable modems
7. Laser printers
8. DVD players
9. Cell phone/tablet chargers
10. Small appliances – microwave/toaster oven/coffee maker

“While garlic and wooden stakes won’t kill this waste, we want to pass along our Top Five Anti-Vampire Appliance Tips that every household can use to save potentially hundreds of dollars every year,” Fitzpatrick said.

Among the top five tips PG&E is recommending that every household adopt are:

1. Unplug: Unplug appliances, electronics and chargers that aren’t in use or turn them off using an inexpensive power strip.

2. Buy smart: By spending as little as $20 for advanced power strips households can achieve energy savings of nearly 50 percent. See http://www.pgecurrents.com/2014/04/17/drive-a-stake-through-energy-vampires-with-advanced-power-strips/ .

3. Go green: The more energy efficient appliances aren’t simply good for the environment, they will help save you money.

4. Home energy checkup: Consider taking a home energy checkup. It will help you learn more about your energy usage so you can become an even smarter energy consumer. See http://www.pge.com/en/myhome/saveenergymoney/analyzer/index.page .

5. Auto-power down: Turn on an automatic power-down feature on your TV or game consoles and set the right predetermined inactivity level for your household.

For more budgeting tips, and other ways to save and conserve energy please visit www.pge.com/saveenergymoney .