CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – The Lake County Stonewall Democratic Club will hold the last meeting of the year on Monday, Dec. 27.

Discussion and business will focus on an appraisal of the past year, and plans for 2011.

The meeting will be held in the Friendship Hall at the United Methodist Church, 12487 The Plaza, Clearlake Oaks.

There will be the usual potluck at 6:30 p.m. followed by the meeting at 7 p.m.

All registered democrats are invited, LGBT and people as well as their friend and allies.

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

Events may be canceled due to rain.

Households can bring up to 15 gallons of toxic items free of charge. A charge will be made for amounts above 15 gallons.

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

Excluded items that cannot be accepted are televisions, computer monitors, ammunition, explosives, radioactive materials or infectious wastes.

To learn how and where to properly dispose these items; please contact the Public Services Office at 707-263-1980.

This is a residential service. Charges apply to businesses; phone 707-468-9786 for more information and business appointments.

Free recycled paint is available at Lake County Waste Solution Transfer Station at 230 Soda Bay Road in Lakeport on first come, first serve basis in five-gallon containers, of tan, brown, gray and pink.

Used oil can be recycled year round at a number of sites in the county.

The HazMobile program is subsidized by the Lake County Public Services Department Solid Waste Division.

If you have any questions regarding this or any of Lake County’s Solid Waste programs, please call 707-262-1760 or the Hot Line number at 707-263-1980, for a list of upcoming HazMobile events please visit our Web site at www.recycling.co.lake.ca.us.

They are looking for presents for ages newborn to 18 months and 10- to 12-year-olds.

Presents can be dropped off at LCCAA behind Foods, Etc. on Lakeshore Drive or at the youth center on Golf Avenue between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays.

Separate dropoffs also can be arranged by calling Joyce Overton at 707-350-2898 or LCCAA at 707-995-2920.

From left to right, MendoLake District Director GinaBelle Smith, North Lake Garden Club President Don Thorne and California Garden Club Inc. President Maryanne Lucas enjoy seeing so many visitors and garden club members from throughout the MendoLake District garden clubs. Photo by Claire Grieve.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Mendo-Lake District GinaBelle Smith and Northlake Garden Club President Don Thorne welcomed California Garden Clubs Inc. President Maryanne Lucas on a recent visit.

Many garden club members within the district had booths or joined in on all the activities hosted by Northlake Garden Club's Garden/Craft Fair in Nice.

The MendoLake District's mission statement is “California Garden Clubs Inc. promotes gardening, floral design, civic beautification, environmental responsibility and the exchange of information and ideas.

There are six garden clubs all within the Mendo-Lake District (www.mendolakedistrict.org).

All the districts in California are under the Calif. Garden Club, Inc. www.CaliforniaGardenClubs.org), then within the Pacific Region (www.PacificregionGardenClubs.org), and then the National Garden Clubs Inc. (www.gardenclub.org). These Web sites contain a wealth of information – check them out.

All are welcome to visit the garden clubs. The district meets quarterly and the public is invited to attend any of the meetings.

GinaBelle Smith is the Mendo-Lake District director. For more information check out any of the above Web sites or call 707-964-3798.

Watch for future announcements of meetings and activities.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Public Service’s Director Kim K. Clymire has announced that the Eastlake Landfill in Clearlake and the Lakeport Public Services office will be closed Friday, Dec. 24, and Saturday, Dec. 25, for the Christmas holiday.

The landfill will re-open Sunday, Dec. 26, and the Public Services Office will open on Monday, Dec. 27.

Normal landfill operating hours are 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily.

The Public Services office normal operational hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If you have any questions regarding this subject or any of the solid waste issues in Lake County, please call 707-262-1760.

From left, District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith, Dennis Darling of Foods, Etc. and Mike Salter of the Salvation Army ring bells for the Salvation Army's annual holiday kettle fundraiser in Clearlake, Calif. Darling is handing Salter a check for $200. Courtesy photo.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Foods, Etc. has made a donation to support the Salvation Army's work this holiday season.

Dennis and Ruth Darling of Foods, Etc. presented the Salvation Army with a check for $200 to support

the Salvation Army's work in Lake County.

All of the money collected stays in county and the organization in Lake County has only a 6-percent administrative cost.