California’s wild animals and plants need your help, and there’s an easy way to do it.

Just make a voluntary contribution on line 403 and/or line 410 of your state income tax return (Form 540).

By contributing any amount over one dollar you can support the Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Rare and Endangered Species Preservation Fund and/or the California Sea Otter Fund.

What you donate this year is tax deductible on next year’s return. Californians can receive state income tax credit from the Franchise Tax Board for helping wildlife.

“The voluntary contributions Californians make at tax time are incredibly helpful in our efforts to save threatened and endangered species,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “These funds have provided critical support for many state-listed species, including the Tiburon mariposa lily, Owens pupfish, blunt-nosed leopard lizard, mountain yellow-legged frog, great gray owl, Sierra Nevada red fox and many more. These donations help protect California’s exceptional biodiversity.”

There are 387 listed plant and animal species in the state, from little “bugs” that most of us have never heard of, to the iconic California sea otter.

Money raised through the tax check-off program helps pay for essential CDFW research and recovery efforts, and critical updates on the status of state-listed species to help assure their conservation.

California is one of 41 states that allows taxpayers to make voluntary, tax-deductible contributions to worthwhile causes on their state returns.

Since 1983, the tax check-off fund for Rare and Endangered Species has raised more than $18 million and supported numerous projects, including surveys for the endangered Sierra Nevada red fox.

Support from California taxpayers has enabled wildlife biologists to achieve important recovery milestones to conserve vulnerable species.

More information on the Rare and Endangered Species Preservation tax check-off program is available at www.dfg.ca.gov/taxcheck .

A second tax check-off fund was created in 2006 specifically to facilitate recovery of the California sea otter, which is listed as a Fully Protected Species under the state law and threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act.

According to the most recently completed survey, there are fewer than 3,000 sea otters in California waters.

This small population is vulnerable to oil spills, environmental pollution, predation by white sharks and other threats.

Many sea otter deaths have been linked to pollution flowing from land to the sea, including fecal parasites, bacterial toxins, road and agricultural run-off, and chemicals linked to coastal land use.

According to CDFW Wildlife Veterinarian and lead sea otter pathologist Melissa Miller, the California Sea Otter Fund provides essential funding to help state scientists better understand and trace the causes of sea otter mortality, identify factors limiting population growth and collaborate with other organizations to prevent the pollution of California's nearshore marine ecosystem. This fund consists entirely of voluntary contributions from taxpayers of the state of California.

The California Sea Otter Fund has become especially vital during the current economic downturn, because other sources of support for sea otter conservation and research have decreased or disappeared entirely. There are no other dedicated state funding sources available to continue this important work.

You can support this research by making a contribution on line 410 of your state tax form 540, the California Sea Otter Fund. CDFW works with the California Coastal Conservancy, Friends of the Sea Otter, Defenders of Wildlife and others to promote the Sea Otter Fund. Visit the Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/taxcheck and Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SeaOtterFundCDFW .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A 20-minute video showing all the behaviors of grebe courtship and breeding will be the feature presentation at the Feb. 21 Redbud Audubon Society program at the Lower Lake School House Museum starting at 7 p.m.

The public is invited.

The video was produced and narrated by Dr. Floyd Hayes, Redbud member, ornithologist and chairman of the Biology Department at Pacific Union College in Angwin.

Dr. Hayes shot the video footage during his summer-long monitoring of Western and Clark’s Grebes breeding on Clear Lake as part of a Grebe Conservation and Education project. Monitoring on Clear Lake was done primarily by canoe, with two of Floyd’s students assisting him with this research.

The lively video has sequences showing the famous “dancing” in which a perfectly synchronized courting pair of grebes hydroplanes across the water surface.

The video also shows grebes constructing floating nests using tule reeds, laying eggs, then taking turns sitting on the nest for the 28-day incubation period, and then carrying babies on their backs until the young are able to fend for themselves.

The video footage even includes an underwater sequence showing a grebe diving.

A video interview with Redbud President Marilyn Waits explains the public education aspects of the grebe project.

Similarly, an interview with Gary Hanson, Water Resources Coordinator for the County of Lake explains how his department provides protection to the floating grebe colonies by placing speed buoys and signs to keep boats away from the nesting grebes.

Redbud Audubon is one of three Audubon chapters participating in this project.

Following Floyd’s presentation will be Keiller Kyle, field biologist for Audubon California, who coordinates the grebe project with the three chapters: Altacal Audubon (Chico), Plumas Audubon (Plumas County), and Redbud.

Keiller will share information he presented last November to the Luckenbach Trust, which funded the three-year project with oil-spill mitigation funds from two oil spills off the Northern California coast that killed significant numbers of Western and Clark’s Grebes.

Don’t miss this important opportunity to watch Lake County’s favorite birds in action.

For more information about the Redbud Audubon Society, go to www.redbudaudubon.org .

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” has been been a hit at the box office and at the Academy, garnering a whopping 12 Oscar nominations, including for best picture.

The movie has received near universal acclaim for the performances and cinematography, and it’s ability to capture the look and feel of Civil War era Washington, DC.

But does it portray history accurately? This will be the topic for discussion at this month’s Redwood Empire Civil War Roundtable on Monday, Feb. 4, starting at 6:15 p.m. at the Tallman Hotel in historic Upper Lake.

“Hollywood generally does not restrict itself to following history accurately and will modify the actual narrative to create a storyline that they think will appeal to a wider audience,” said roundtable co-founder Phil Smoley. “To some degree, this is the case with ‘Lincoln,’ and this will be one of our topics at the next meeting.”  

Twenty roundtable members attended the opening of “Lincoln” on Jan. 11 at the Lakeport Cinema.

“Everyone agreed that the movie is spectacular in many ways and worth seeing, but it is worth a discussion to see how much of it was history and how much was Hollywood,” said Smoley.

In addition to the discussion of “Lincoln,” the group will hear an update on the CSS Hunley, which was in the news this week.

“The Hunley was the world’s first submarine to sink an enemy ship, but it never returned,” Smoley explained. “It was raised in 2000, and they have been trying to find out what sank it. This week’s announcement shed light on the cause.”

The Civil War Roundtable attempts to commemorate the sesquicentennial of the Civil War by reviewing events of the war month by month.

Admission is free, all are welcome.

For more information, contact Phil Smoley at 707-264 4905 or Zane Jensen at 707-349-6390.

NORTH COAST – 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

There is no major roadwork scheduled for Lake County from Friday, Feb. 1, through Thursday, Feb. 7.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– Replacement of the Greenwood Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Golden State Bridge Inc. of Martinez.

– Caltrans will perform slipout repairs 1.6 miles south of Navarro Bluff Road. One-way traffic control with temporary stop signs will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Metal beam guardrail repair at various locations from Blue Slide Gulch to the junction of Routes 101/271 will continue on Monday, Feb. 4. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Coral Construction of Wilsonville.

– Peter Bassett of Westport has been issued a Caltrans Encroachment permit for utility installation near Pacific Avenue north through Friday, Feb. 1. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

Highway 20

– A pavement repair project from 1.4 miles west of Little Lake Road to Three Chop Road will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays. Contractor – Argonaut Constructors of Santa Rosa.

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 128

– Metal beam guardrail repair at various locations from Route 1 to Anderson Valley Way will continue through Friday, Feb. 1. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Coral Construction of Wilsonville.

Highway 271

– Metal beam guardrail repair at various locations from the southern junction of Routes 101/271 to the Humboldt/Mendocino County line will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays. Contractor – Coral Construction of Wilsonville.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Soroptimist International Clear Lake’s monthly luncheon business meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 14.

The meeting will take place at Howard's Grotto, 14732 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake.

Agenda items will include an update on the annual Spring Fling fundraiser, scheduled for Saturday, March 2, with guest speaker Christine Pelosi,who will speak to the attendees on the topic of human trafficking how it affects women and girls right here in California.  

Also on the agenda are reports from Mary Benson, Judy Mullins and Marty Comito, chairs of three awards programs, Women’s Opportunity Awards, Violet Richardson Award and Ruby Award, respectively, with the announcement of the winners who will be honored at the March 28 awards luncheon to be held at the Greenview Room in Hidden Valley Lake.

The nominating committee chaired by Lisa Wilson of Clearlake will present the slate of officers for the 2013-14 term of office, with the election to be held at the March 14 business meeting.

Soroptimist is a term that means “best for women” and the objective of the group is to promote the advancement of women through volunteer service to the community and to serve as a global voice on issues of importance to women.

Soroptimist International of Clear Lake is part of Soroptimist International of the Americas, a worldwide organization that helps improve the lives of women and girls around the world and is open to all women.

For more information on the luncheon, Spring Fling or about membership in the group contact group President Wanda Harris at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-987-9027.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – “The Diary of Lucas Willey” will be the subject of a historic reading at the historic Courthouse Museum on Saturday, Feb. 16.

The reading takes place in the upstairs courtroom and begins at 2 p.m.  

Lucas Willey served as the justice of the peace in Lower Lake from 1870 to 1872 and you will be fascinated by his firsthand accounts of the dismantling of the Cache Creek Dam in 1868 and the final county seat election in 1870.

Bill Groody will be reading the first chapters and the series will continue on March 16, April 20 and May 18.  

There is no admission charge and refreshments will be served.  

For more information, please call the museum at 707-263-4555.