MIDDLETOWN – The South Lake County Fire Sirens is a group of volunteers who raise money for emergency equipment for the South Lake County Fire Protection District.

The group holds periodic rummage/bake sales and an annual Christmas boutique. They also sponsor the File of Life Program and monthly blood drives in conjunction with the Blood Bank of the Redwoods.

Members meet the first Monday of each month at 9:30 a.m. for coffee and 10 a.m. for their business meeting. They usually have a community service person as their guest speaker prior to the business meeting. The group meets in the conference room of the Middletown Fire Station on Highway 175.

Mark your calendars for our upcoming featured speakers:

– Feb. 1: District 1 Supervisor Jim Comstock, “What’s happening in Lake County”;

– March 1: Pat Plank, district director of the American Red Cross.

Come join the Fire Sirens and make new friends, too!

Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.

LAKE COUNTY

Highway 175

– PG&E of Eureka has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for tree trimming from 0.3 mile east of the junction of Route 29/175 near Kelseyville to 0.2 mile east of the Putah Creek Bridge through Friday, Jan. 22. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– Pavement repair 0.2 mile north of Big Gulch Road 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 – Rege Construction Inc. of Cloverdale.

– Construction of a retaining wall about three miles north of Elk 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 10-minute delays. Contractor – Granite Construction of Ukiah.

– Charles and Elizabeth Strother of Madison have been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to install a driveway near Navarro Ridge Road. Work hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 20

– Construction of a retaining wall 0.4 mile east of Three Chop Road 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 seven-minute delays. Contractor – Granite Construction of Ukiah.

For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).

Normal hours at all branches will resume on Tuesday, Feb. 16. Call your local branch if you have any questions.

Lakeport Library, located at 1425 N. High St., is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, noon to 8 p.m., telephone 707-263-8817.

Redbud Library, 14785 Burns Valley Road, Clearlake, is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Wednesday, noon to 8 p.m., telephone 707-994-5115.

Middletown Library, 21267 Calistoga Road, is open Tuesday through Friday, 1 p.m. to 6p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., telephone 707-987-3674.

Upper Lake Library, 310 Second St., is open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., and Wednesday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., telephone 707-275-2049.

LAKE COUNTY – Traffic collisions are the No. 1 killer of teenagers in America. Nationally about 5,000 teens will die in automobile crashes. About 10 percent of those deaths are in California alone. In California in 2007, there were 82,506 collisions involving teenage drivers statewide, 457 resulted in fatalities.

The Clear Lake California Highway Patrol office will offer a free “Start Smart” traffic safety class for teenage drivers and their parents at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 4, at the CHP office in Kelseyville. The class will run about two hours.

The program aims to help future and newly-licensed teenage drivers learn the responsibilities that accompany the privilege of being a licensed driver. It is an education tool for parents and teens to reduce the number of teen injuries and deaths resulting from traffic collisions.

The program provides information on defensive driving, state traffic laws, dynamics of traffic collisions, tips on avoiding collisions and DUI awareness.

Space is limited for this class.

For more information or reservations, call Officer Steven Tanguay at the CHP office, 707-279-0103.

Judy Luchsinger, candidate for Lake County Superintendent of Schools, will be the featured speaker at the Lake County Republican Women's Federated luncheon on Wednesday, February 10, 2010. Courtesy photo.

KELSEYVILLE – The Lake County Republican Women's Federated invites the community to attend the group's first luncheon of the new year on Wednesday, Feb. 10.

The group will meet at 11 a.m. at Riviera Hills Restaurant, 10200 Fairway Drive, Kelseyville.

Come and meet the Republican Women's Federated's new board for 2010.

They include President Maria Barnes, Vice President Mary Southard, Secretary Beverly Rabidoux, Treasurer Verica Richardson and Membership Office Gail Jonas.

The group is honored to have Judy Luchsinger, candidate for Lake County Superintendent of Schools, as the first speaker of the year.

Men and women alike are welcome to attend.

For reservations call Verica Richardson, 707-994-1988. To join the club e-mail group President Maria Barnes, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

UPPER LAKE – Community members who want to show their support for a new town clock for Upper Lake are invited to come out and enjoy good food on Wednesday.

The Blue Wing Saloon & Cafe will host the fundraiser between 11:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. Wednesday, and will offer low-cost specials.

An estimated $2,200 of the community's $4,000 contribution toward the clock already has been raised.

Donations received for the clock will be matched up to $250, with the goal being to raise $500 for the day.

The Women's Protective Club, the group which purchased the original clock erected in 1914, will make a special presentation at 6 p.m.

The Blue Wing Saloon & Cafe is located at 9520 Main St., Upper Lake, telephone 707-275-2233.