While the calendar was produced with Lake County home gardeners in mind, it contains valuable information for all Lake County residents.

This year’s calendar features the “Unmanaged Apple and Pear Tree Outreach Program” (UAPTOP).

This program works to educate home gardeners about the impact their unmanaged apple or pear trees can have on nearby commercial pear orchards by increasing the amount of pesticide needed to combat higher pest pressure.

This would reverse the tremendous gains local growers have made in reducing the need to spray. UAPTOP encourages removal or proper management of apple and pear trees and offers ideas for replacing them with other ornamental and edible trees.

The calendar also includes the popular month-by-month gardening guide contained in past issues, as well as recipes for local produce.

Besides UAPTOP, all information in this beautifully-illustrated Master Gardener calendar has been written with Lake County growing conditions in mind, which makes it a unique, as well as useful gift for local home gardeners and others wishing to learn more about Lake County agriculture and gardening.

The 2011 Lake County Master Gardener Calendar is now available for $10 if purchased at the UCCE office, or $12 if mailed.

For further information, or to order the calendar, contact UC Cooperative Extension, 883 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport, 707-263-6838, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Karen Lancelle has put together a collection of links to unbiased, factual sources that could be helpful to voters looking for reliable information on the November ballot issues.

The link can be found at https://sites.google.com/site/eiir2010lakecounty/home .

The Lake County Kennel Club of Northern California's annual Dogtoberfest will give dogs a chance to strut their stuff in costume. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Lake County Kennel Club of Northern California will hold its annual Dogtoberfest “Responsible Dog Ownership Day” on Saturday, Oct. 30.

The festival for canines and their people will take place from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the club's training grounds on 9925 Soda Bay Road, Kelseyville, just behind Kit's Corner.

There will be the “mutt strut” – a dog costume contest – and many fun and games for dogs and humans.

Other planned events include hot dog bobbing, relay races, musical mats, agility course, rally course, Canine Good Citizen testing and a photo booth with Horat Photography.

For the humans, there will be a free hot dog lunch and a bake sale.

Come join the fun and bring your dog – costumes optional.

For more information visit the club's Web site, www.lckcnc.org.

The seminar will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Kelseyville United Methodist Church (3810 Main St. in Kelseyville).

“In the current economic climate and job market, having a clean criminal record can really make a difference for individuals looking for work, housing or applying for credit,” said Conwell, who has practiced criminal defense for the past seven years.

“Both adult convictions and juvenile adjudications can be expunged in the State of California, however, not everyone can get their criminal record expunged,” he said. “To be eligible for an expungement, very specific criteria must be met.”

The free seminar will give an overview of steps individuals can take to expunge their records. There will be a question and answer period following the presentation.

For more information about the seminar, contact William Conwell by phone at 707-263-8220 or on the web at www.conwelldefense.com.

Wreaths are made of a variety of fresh greens on a 12-inch wire frame with a large wired ribbon bow (red, burgundy, gold or print).

The wreaths are $20 each, prepaid.

Only 150 wreaths will be made so orders are first-come, first-served basis.

A three-day workshop will be held Dec. 1 through 3 to create the wreaths. To place your orders, contact Chairman Pam Held at 707-263-1334 or any garden club member.

The profits from this fundraiser enable the garden club to present two $1,000 scholarships to local high school students.

For information about the club, visit www.clttgc.org.

The club meets at noon on the third Tuesday of the month, except July and August, at the Scotts Valley Women's Club House, 2298 Hendricks Road, Lakeport.

Members, guests, and all interested are most welcome. President Linda Waterstraat, telephone 707-245-4731, invites interested gardeners to join us.

Clear Lake Trowel & Trellis Garden Club is a member of Mendo-Lake District, California Garden Club Inc., Pacific Region and National Garden Clubs Inc.

A welcome and recruitment event for current, former and new Red Cross volunteers is planned for Tuesday, Oct. 26, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Lakeport Senior Center, 527 Konocti Ave.

All are welcome to attend.

The event will include information about classes and volunteer opportunities, as well as snacks. It will feature class sign-ups for CPR and first aid, volunteer sign-ups for disaster sheltering and emergency response vehicle training, and volunteer sign-ups for Service to the Armed Forces.

The primary Red Cross activities in Lake County now include disaster response, CPR classes and Service to the Armed Forces. Red Cross continues to maintain an office at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St., Lakeport.

The new arrangement allows the Red Cross to provide better support to the community in Lake County. Yolo County Red Cross, which was formerly combined with Lake County, is now part of the Sacramento-Sierra Chapter.

Interested individuals can call for more information about the volunteer event or the Red Cross in general: Pam Plank, disaster chair, Lake County Red Cross, 707-272-3665, or call the Red Cross office at the Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St., Lakeport, 707-263-8451.

American Red Cross, Sonoma & Mendocino Counties (which includes Lake County) is a neutral, humanitarian organization that provides relief to victims of disasters, and prepares people to prevent and respond to emergencies.

Like all Red Cross chapters, the local chapter is self-sustaining and is funded by local contributions. All assistance to disaster victims and to members of the armed forces provided by the Chapter is free and made possible by voluntary donations of time and money by the people of Sonoma and Mendocino Counties.

Donations can be made at www.arcsm.org, www.redcross.org, via mail to American Red Cross, 5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403, or by phone at 707-577-7627 (707-463-0112 Mendocino local call).