“Property protection measures are crucial for unoccupied homes and businesses,” said Julie Rochman, president and chief executive officer of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). “Little things that go undiscovered and/or unrepaired because no one is around to notice can quickly grow into serious, much more costly catastrophes.”

The IBHS brochure “Is Your Home Alone?” outlines things property owners can do to protect their homes while they are vacant.

Among the most important things homeowners should do include:

• Keep wind and water out – Ice and snow accumulation on tree branches could cause them to break off and fall. You should routinely inspect trees on your property and make sure limbs and branches are cut back 5 feet to 6 feet from roof and wall surfaces. Check for signs of roof leaks and have any leaks fixed. Clean gutters to ensure good drainage; this will reduce the chances of ice dam formation.

• Don’t let it get too cold – Thermostats in a vacant home should be set to no lower than 68 degrees to prevent pipes from freezing.

• Shut off the water and gas – Water heaters, appliances, and pipes (PVC and copper) can leak or burst, which can cause major damage in an unattended home. The best protection is to shut the main water supply valve. When shutting the water off, also turn off power or gas to the water heater (or the gas company can do this for you).

• Leave electricity on – Advise utility companies of dates that the house will be vacant. Ask to be notified in the event of high usage or an emergency. Many utility companies now offer automatic email notification that consumers can receive via smart phones and other handheld devices.

• Install exterior and interior motion or timed lighting – This will act to ward off potential animal infestation and criminal activity, and give the appearance that someone is home.

• Try to make the property appear occupied – This will help reduce the risks of vandalism or other crime. Have a snow removal service plow your driveway and clear sidewalks and steps. Have the service remove snow off the roof to prevent collapse or water entry as the snow melts.

In addition to the steps listed above, IBHS recommends the following:

• Advise local fire and police departments that your building is unoccupied, and provide them with keys and/or contact information in the event of an emergency.

• Advise your alarm company of the vacancy, create new security codes, and update contact information.

• Ensure pollutants, chemicals or combustible materials are returned to and stored in appropriate protective cabinets and containers. Inform the fire department that there are flammable or toxic materials stored in the building and their location(s).

Visit www.DisasterSafety.org for more information about how to make your property more resistant to a variety of disasters, big and small.

Showing throughout the holiday season, Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m., 7:45 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. from Nov. 25, through Jan. 7.

Shows are followed by night sky telescope viewing (weather permitting).

Admission is $6 for adults and $3 for children under 12 years old. The theater has a 32-seat capacity. Reserve for private groups by contacting the observatory coordinator.

Produced by Evans & Sutherland Digital Theater, “Mystery of the Christmas Star” allows audiences to journey back 2,000 years to Bethlehem as we seek to discover a scientific explanation for the star the wise men followed to find the baby Jesus.

This modern retelling of the Christmas story is sure to charm and captivate audiences of all ages.

The planetarium is a perfect place to study this because of its ability to exactly reproduce the skies as seen from Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago.

As customers decorate homes and trees this holiday season, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) encourages them to keep safety and energy efficiency in mind.

Holiday lights bring joy to the season, but they can also bring hazards and added costs to your energy bill.

PG&E offers the following holiday lighting tips:

Holiday lighting energy efficiency

• Purchase energy-efficient LED (light-emitting diode) holiday lights. LED lights can reduce energy consumption by as much as 90 percent when compared to traditional holiday lights and can shine brightly for up to 20 holiday seasons.

• A string of 300 LED holiday lights can cost less than $0.50 to operate during the holiday season, compared to nearly $70 for a string of 300 large incandescent holiday lights.

• LED holiday light strings are available at many retailers in Northern and Central California. For more information about LED holiday lighting, visit www.pge.com/myhome/saveenergymoney/savingstips/seasonaltips/winter/led/index.shtml.

Holiday lighting safety

• In addition to being shatterproof and shock resistant, LED lights produce almost no heat, making them safe to touch and greatly reducing the risk of fire.

• Look up and live! Before stringing outdoor lights, check for overhead power lines. Never place yourself or any object, like a ladder, in a position where you or it may come in contact with a power line – the result can be fatal. Keep at least 10 feet away from overhead lines.

• Before stringing lights on outdoor trees, make sure tree limbs haven't grown into or near power lines. Branches, entire trees and even the ground adjacent to a tree can become energized when trees contact power lines.

• Make sure lights used to decorate the outside of the house are approved for outdoor use. Never use indoor lights outdoors.

• Follow the manufacturer's limits for the number of light strings that can be connected together safely.

• Check all light strands for cracked or broken plugs, frayed insulation or bare wires. Worn cords can cause fires, so discard damaged sets of lights.

• Route cords inside your home so they won't trip anyone. Don't place them under rugs, furniture or other appliances. If covered, cords can overheat or become frayed, increasing the risk of fire.

• Always turn off decorative lights – indoors and outdoors – when leaving the house and before going to bed.

• Do not place your tree near a heat source such as a fireplace or heat vent. The heat will dry out the tree, making it more susceptible to fires caused by heat, flame or sparks.

The show will air from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. on 88.1 FM. The show also will be streamed live on the station's Web site, visit www.kpfz.org.

Discussion participants will include Suzanne Lyons, mayor of Lakeport and a member of the Clear Lake Advisory Committee, as well as some other members of the committee, which is the body established to advise the Board of Supervisors on lake-related issues.

1. Consider investing in antivirus and anti-spyware software. If you already have antivirus software, be sure to download the latest security updates, as there are new viruses and malicious programs every day.

2. Use a credit card instead of a debit card. A stolen debit card gives an identity thief a direct line to your bank account, whereas credit cards offer added protection from fraudulent transactions. To be safe, don't store your credit card numbers online, and review your credit card bills monthly for unauthorized charges.

3. Make purchases through Web sites that offer secure connections. When shopping online, choose Web sites or e-merchants that offer heightened SSL (Secure Socket Layer) security to protect your personal information. Before inputting your phone or credit card number, check your browser's status bar for an unbroken “padlock” icon, which indicates the site uses SSL. Also, because most email accounts are not secure, it's best not to send payment information in an email.

4. Watch what you post online. The Internet has made it easy to store and share information, but we should be careful when sharing personal information online. Avoid posting addresses and phone numbers on social networking sites, or storing credit card information and passwords in your email account.

5. Strengthen all your passwords and PINs. With so many passwords and personal identification numbers to remember these days, it's tempting to use a birthday, child's name, consecutive numbers, or other predictable passwords or PINs. Use a combination of numbers, letters, and symbols to protect your shopping and email accounts with the strongest possible passwords.

6. Talk to your kids about the dangers of online shopping. Children are often so comfortable and confident online they don't think they need to take special precautions. And identity thieves know this; kids are among their prime targets. Supervise your kids' online shopping and talk to them about keeping their information secure.

7. Shop at trusted Web sites. Everyone wants to find the best deals when shopping online, but be cautious when using unfamiliar Web sites. When shopping at a site that is new or unfamiliar, review customer reviews and Better Business Bureau listings to check the site's legitimacy.

8. Be wary of fake online stores. Many online scammers steal personal information by redirecting shoppers to fake web pages that look like the checkout pages of legitimate shopping sites. To avoid these traps, be careful what links you click. Set your browser to block pop-up windows, and make sure you type in the store's web address into your browser window instead of clicking links from email or other Web sites.

9. Guard your Social Security number. There's no reason for an online shopping site to request your Social Security number to make a routine purchase.

For more information about identity theft, visit: http://ag.ca.gov/idtheft/index.php.

If you must travel during winter storms, be prepared and use caution as well as common sense.

Make sure your vehicle is in good working condition. In particular, check the antifreeze, tire pressure and tread, brakes, windshield wipers, heater, defroster and exhaust system.

When traveling through snow country, motorists should carry tire chains that are the proper type and size, and are in good condition.

Chains must be installed on the drive wheels, so make sure you know if your vehicle is front or rear wheel drive.

Other useful items to take are a flashlight, chain repair links, ice scraper or spray deicer, and a shovel.

Taking along water, food, warm blankets and extra clothing will make you more comfortable if you experience a lengthy delay.

Before you leave, put an extra door key in your pocket; a number of motorists have locked themselves out of their cars when putting on chains.

“A prepared motorist is a safer motorist to themselves, other travelers, and our highway workers,” said Charlie Fielder, Caltrans District 1 Director.

Don’t be rushed; get an early start to allow more time to reach your destination safely.

Let someone know your travel plans, your planned route and when you expect to arrive. Make sure to let them know if plans change.

Keep your fuel tank full in case it’s necessary to change routes or you get caught in a traffic delay.

A highway speed of 55 or 65 miles an hour may be safe in dry weather, but is an invitation for trouble in winter weather.

“Be more observant, attentive and slow down. Snow and ice make stopping distances much longer, so leave more distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead,” said CHP Officer Paul Dahlen.

Bridge decks and shady spots can be icy when other areas are not, so remember to avoid sudden stops and quick direction changes.

If you encounter fog, make sure to slow down and drive with your lights on low beam. Don’t stop on a highway, unless it’s an emergency.

Keep a close watch on your speed and don’t forget the law that requires you to have your headlights on anytime you have your windshield wipers on continuously.

Officer Dahlen said, “Remember to always wear your seat belt, don’t drink and drive and reduce your speed when on slick pavement.”

Before traveling and during your trip, be sure to check current road conditions by calling the California Highway Information Network at 1-800-427-7623, visiting www.dot.ca.gov, or by monitoring the local media.