LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Land Trust is presenting its last children’s education program of the year on Saturday, Sept. 20, starting at 9 a.m. at the Rodman Preserve, at 6350 Westlake Road near Upper Lake.

The program will focus on insects and be presented by Brittany Nelms, an entomologist with the Lake County Vector Control District along with intern Broc Pasqual.

What are the differences between mosquitoes and gnats? How do you tell a mosquito larva from a gnat larva, and can you find them both in Clear Lake?

“Bring yourself and your child to the Rodman Preserve and interact with these and other important Lake County insects. Participants will be looking at live mosquitoes and gnats and you will be able to see firsthand how they look and survive in their aquatic habitats,” said Land Trust Board member Roberta Lyons.

Microscopes will be set up so you can see, up close, the various features of these important flies. The mosquito tower will be on display, showing the entire mosquito life cycle up close.

“Want to feed the fish? The kids will be able to pick out mosquito larva and feed them to our hungry mosquito fish!” said Nelms, who also is planning to show participants the different life stages of mosquitoes and their lookalikes (gnats, rice flies, and midges) and how to tell them apart.

She will explain what those “swarms of insects,” we see around the lake are, talk about where they live and their life cycles.

The public is invited to this free-of-charge event.

Reservations are encouraged, but not required. Call Roberta Lyons at 707-994-2024 for more information or to reserve your spot.

The Rodman Preserve Nature Education Center is located at 6350 Westlake Road near Upper Lake. Take the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff off of Highway 29, between Lakeport and Upper Lake. Turn east onto the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff, then left on to Westlake Road. The preserve entry is to the immediate right after turning on to Westlake.

The preserve is owned and operated by the Lake County Land Trust, a local non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Lake County’s natural areas.

For more information about the Land Trust, go to www.lakecountylandtrust.org .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Chapters of Sons In Retirement (SIR) group is sponsoring a bus trip to Golden Gate Fields on Thursday, Oct. 16.

This trip will cost $60 per person and includes round trip bus transportation, gourmet luncheon buffet in the reserved dining room, personal betting window and official racing program.

The bus leaves from the parking lot of the Rivera restaurant and stops at McDonald’s in Clearlake.

Dress code is simply no jeans or sneakers.

The bus will arrive with enough time to settle in before the first race at 12:45 p.m. 

Space is limited.

For reservations call Bob Specht at 707-279-0187, or Bill Magoolaghan at 707-277-8846 or 707-367-3352.

Sons In Retirement is a social organization for men of retirement age who are pursuing the goal of enjoying their later years. It has 142 branches with 18,000 members throughout the state.

Branch 168 holds a luncheon on the second Friday of each month at the conference room at Konocti Vista Casino. 

Anyone interested in learning more about Sons In Retirement in general are encouraged to contact Larry Powers, chair of the membership committee, at 707-263-3403 or to visit the state Web site at www.sirinc.org .

SACRAMENTO – State Controller John Chiang announced that his office will be conducting qualifying examinations for Probate Referee appointments in Northern and Southern California on Oct. 18.

The probate referee is a state-appointed official whose job is to appraise most assets in a probate estate.

The probate referee appraises all property and assets except cash. There is a minimum of one probate referee in each county, while larger counties have more than one.

“I want to make this public service opportunity available to as many financial professionals as possible. We are looking for candidates with diverse backgrounds who want to help their communities by providing this important service,” said Chiang. “Please encourage your friends and colleagues who are interested in becoming a Probate Referee to apply and take the exam.”

Probate referees have been proudly assisting the courts, attorneys and the public for more than 68 years.

A probate referee is appointed to a panel in the county of his or her residence by the state controller for a term of four years.

Applicants must possess threshold academic and/or relevant professional experience in order to take the examination and be considered for appointment.

Applicants must meet at least one of the following:

– Bachelor’s degree plus at least 30 class hours in appraisal/valuation classes; or
– 2,000 hours of experience within the last four years appraising real and/or personal property; or
– Certified as an appraiser by the California Office of Real Estate Appraisers, the Appraisal Institute or the American Society of Appraisers; or
– Attorney with a minimum of three years as a member of the California State Bar, or
– Certified Public Accountant with a minimum of three years as a licensed CPA in California.

There are about 114 Probate Referee positions on county panels statewide; currently, approximately 25 of these positions will be available for re-appointment.

All applications must be received by Oct. 10.

Applicants must also submit five letters of recommendation from references listed on their applications. Those letters must be received no later than Oct. 24.

Individuals interested in becoming probate referees may obtain an application by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (916) 263-3624 and select option No. 7 and then No. 5.

The application and testing information is available at www.cpshr.us or www.sco.ca.gov .

Please return completed applications, along with a nonrefundable check or money order for $75 made payable to the State Controller’s Office, to CPS HR Consulting, Attention: Probate Referee Program, 241 Lathrop Way, Sacramento, CA 95815.

The five letters of recommendation must be received by the State Controller’s Office by Oct. 24. Please send the letters to State Controller’s Office, Probate Referee Program, Attn: Amber Camarena, 300 Capitol Mall, Suite 1850, Sacramento, CA 95814.

LUCERNE, Calif. – The Lucerne Alpine Senior Center is hosting its monthly Open Mic Lucerne on Saturday, Sept. 20.

Performers are on stage with house band FOGG, starting the evening at 6 p.m. with classic, heavy metal rock and roll with original numbers and covers of your favorites. FOGG and other entertainers will wrap up the evening by 11 p.m.

There is no charge for attending or performing.

Don’t miss this chance to showcase your talent. Music, comedy, mime, readings and any other activity that is family-oriented is appreciated.

Being in the audience also is great fun. Assistance is available with amplification. Room also is available for dancing and relaxing.

A spaghetti feed will be offered with traditional and vegetarian full meals available for $5 per person.

Open Mic Lucerne will cap an exciting day with the First Community Kids Carnival of food booths, craft stalls and more than a dozen game booths for kids of all ages. 

The fun will start at 9 a.m. with breakfast available and games and booths will open at 10 a.m. with the fun continuing until 6 p.m. Bring the whole family to this child friendly event.

On Sept. 20 there also will be a 50-percent sale at the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center Thrift Store. Come shop through the collectibles, books, kitchenware, clothes and furniture.

Bands and individuals are already signing up for the Saturday show. The past events have seen full venues, so sign up early. Call 707-245-4612 or 707-274-8779 for your reserved time or come and sign-up beginning at 5 p.m. Saturday night.

All proceeds from Open Mic Lucerne, the dinner, the carnival, and the thrift store benefit the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center, a not-for-profit serving Northshore senior populations with on-site lunches, Meals on Wheels, personal advocacy and other services.

The center is located at 3985 Country Club Drive.

For more information about booth rentals for the Community Kids Carnival or Open Mic Lucerne, call the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center at 707-274-8779.

NICE, Calif. – Come join the Sons of Italy in Nice for its “Last Chance Dinner Dance” on Saturday, Sept. 27.

The meal will include pork loin, scalloped potatoes, vegetables, salad and dessert.

The bar opens at 5 p.m., dinner starts at 6 p.m. and dancing to live music after the meal with The High Notes.

Tickets cost $15 at the door.

The hall is located at 2817 E. Highway 20 in Nice.

Call 707-274-2244 on the afternoon of the event for more information.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Save the Lake Yes on Measure S will throw a campaign event this Friday, Sept. 19.

It will be held beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, at Riviera Hills Country Club, 10200 Fairway Drive in Kelseyville.

Measure S is a proposal for a half-cent sales tax to benefit Clear Lake through water quality projects and other initiatives, such as invasive mussel prevention. More information can be found at http://savethelake.info/ .

The event will feature an Italian buffet, raffle, silent auction, and a sock hop to hits from the 1950s and 1960s.

Performers will include local piano man David Neft and the Jim Williams Band.

Tickets are $50 per person and must be purchased in advance.

For more information or to purchase tickets call Tommy Harty at 707-277-7862 or Anita McKee at 707-277-7776, Extension 403.