Vehicles will be admitted starting at 5:30 p.m., and the grounds will close each evening at 9 p.m.

Cars are expected to take about one-half hour to tour all of the displays.

A concession stand operated by nonprofits and offering hot chocolate, cider, coffee and other snacks will be available at the entrance gate.

A low power FM broadcast will play continuous holiday music so that patrons can tune in their car radios.

Enter the fairgrounds through the main gate on Martin Street; cars will be directed though the fairgrounds by volunteers.

The Lake County Fairgrounds are located at 401 Martin St., Lakeport.

LUCERNE – A small white dog is missing from her home in Lucerne, and her family is offering a reward for her safe return.

The 8-pound terrier is about 13 years old and was last seen on Foothill Drive on the evening of Saturday, Nov. 28.

The dog was wearing a collar and license tags.

She is missing one eye and is hard of hearing. However, she responds to friendly gestures and pats, and enjoys cheese.

If she is seen, please call Elizabeth Larson at 707-245-4550.

The program sign up started at 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, for baskets for Northshore community members in need, residing from Blue Lakes to Lucerne.

The group had 20 families waiting in line at 8:30 am, just in Nice. By the end of the sign up, we had more than 50 people sign up at Nice and Upper Lake fire houses.

A few applicants will be dropped for accuracy of information but most will receive a basket of food plus toys and clothing if they have children.

When Sharon from Pet Acres, a longtime organizer of the holiday basket program, shared that we would not have the annual taco feed fundraiser, anxiety set in for just a moment. Then I remembered, the community support that pours out to us so we can make it happen for those in need every season.

Upper Lake school children work like little Santa helpers gathering canned goods for us. It is just wonderful how many items show up, just from the students. I knew that Westamerica Bank would come through with their generous yearly donation and house the gift wish tree in the lobby. Plus Blue Lakes Fire Auxiliary would donate, too.

Sentry Market always comes through every year with assorted breads. As always, the fresh apples from Seely Farms brighten up our recipients' day.

All these things would cover the pantry items needed – children's gifts and clothing plus some of the fresh produce for the whole package. The problem would be the turkeys and hams that are covered by the dinner's profit.

I immediately contacted Order of Sons Of Italy Nice and community members to help out. So far, the club has gathered seven boxes of food items, a $50 donation plus eight turkeys and a ham but we need more, 35 right now if we fill all the applicants needs as the money donated will cover six more turkeys.

If you have a turkey or ham that you would like to donate, please call Pet Acres at 707-275-2729 or Clarke's Collectibles in Nice at 707-274-9175.

You can also make checks out to Upper Lake Fire Auxiliary with food basket in the memo if you don't have time to pick one up. Just call and leave a message.

We are also accepting new toys or clothing for children age one month to 17 years or you can go to Westamerica bank in Upper Lake to pick up a gift wish tag from the tree.

Thank you so much to all that are helping their community members in need.

The results are as follows.

Grand Sweepstakes: Reynolds Truck & Crane Inc., Lakeport.

Judge's Choice: Reynolds Truck & Crane Inc.

Division I floats

Best of division: Reynolds Truck & Crane Inc.

First place: Reynolds Truck & Crane Inc.

Second place: Piedmont Lumber & Nursery, Lakeport

Third place: Cobb Mountain Christmas, Cobb

Division II vehicles

Best of division: Lake County As and Corvettes of Lake County

First place (tie): Lake County As, Corvettes of Lake County

Second place (tie): Clear Lake Road Riders, Pat Sperling

Third place: Lake County Fair

Division III groups

Best of division: Skycatch Gymnastics

First place: Skycatch Gymnastics

Second place: United Veterans Council Military Funeral Honors Team

Division IV equestrian

Best of division: Sarah Walker, Lower Lake

Novelty, first place: Sarah Walker, Lower Lake

Novelty, second place: Lonne Sloan, Lower Lake

Novelty, third place: Serina Rosales, Lower Lake

Senior working western, first place: Beverly Baxter, Santa Rosa

Judges included Bert Hutt of the Soper Reese Community Theatre, Kim Bradley of Mendo Lake Credit Union and Melissa Fulton of the Lake County Chamber.

Mendo Lake Credit Union was the parade sponsor, with Paul Reading of Piedmont Lumber serving as parade announcer.

Piedmont Lumber provided the stage and Pat Norcio and her crew took charge of stage decorations.

An annual event, the dinner took place on the evening of Saturday, Nov. 14, at the Keys Club in Clearlake Oaks.

“While volunteers have always played a key role in maintaining our waterways and equipment, this year’s volunteer effort has been truly extraordinary,” said Clearlake Keys Board President Jack Wadhams.

“This year, our volunteers handled major mechanical issues with the harvester, spray boats and vehicles, and they tackled 2009’s historic algae infestation with determination and creativity,” Wadhams said. “We owe them a lot.”

Without the intense volunteer effort put forth this year, the neighborhood association would have faced outside vendor costs exceeding $200,000, he said.

“The volunteer participation in the Keys is an example of how the positive energy of ordinary people can dramatically improve the quality of life in a community,” said District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing, who was present at the volunteer dinner.

Honored during the dinner were more than 70 volunteers, who provided more than 6,000 hours of their time throughout the year.

Workers of all ages and backgrounds installed conveyors and decks, repaired motors and hydraulic lines, and did innumerable other important tasks to maintain the association’s fleet of vehicles and watercraft.

Managing the aquatic nightmare of Lyngbya algae was the most urgent priority this year. Volunteer teams with no experience with this strain of algae quickly educated themselves and worked tirelessly to try to break up and move the mats.

Volunteers and POA board members worked closely with the Lake County Water Resources Division as well as with outside contractors to find solutions to the problem.

Keys volunteers joined with others throughout Lake County to develop innovative ways to deal with the algae.

“We learned a lot this year, and we learned it in a hurry,” said Dennis Locke, a Keys volunteer who devoted many weeks of his time to the algae problem. “I am confident that if we’re hit with this type of algae bloom in the future, the experience we’ve gained will make it much easier to address it.”

“I am proud of how well our community rose to the occasion this year,” says POA Treasurer Dennis Krentz. “Even though the costs of dealing with the algae emergency were substantial, the thousands of hours put in by our volunteers meant that we were able to deal with this situation without implementing a special assessment. This community truly has a ‘can-do’ attitude. We’re delighted to be able to honor our volunteers with this special dinner.”

The event also was an opportunity to recognize others who contributed to the Keys’ well being during 2009.

A special award of appreciation was presented to Jim Jonas of Jonas Oil, for the generous donation of thousands of dollars’ worth of fuel for Keys vehicles and watercrafts.

The POA also gratefully acknowledged Aquatic Environments for donating services and equipment, and BioSafe Systems for providing the algaecide used for an algae control test.

During the dinner, volunteers received awards that were provided to the POA at no cost by local merchants and organizations.

“We encourage everyone to patronize these generous Lake County businesses,” said Krentz.

Volunteer dinner award donors include Big Oak Beacon, Camille Gouldberg Massage, Classic Cut-Ups, Firehouse Pizza, Happy Garden Restaurant, Karl’s Korner, Kathy’s Head Over Heels, Lake County Winery Association and the Red and White Market.

The Clearlake Keys Property Owners Association (POA) is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to the preservation and improvement of the quality of life In the Clearlake Keys. It is an all volunteer organization. The POA serves the property owners of the community of Clearlake Oaks, California, who reside in an area known as “The Keys.”

A subdivision built during the 1960s and 1970s, the Keys is unique for having canals behind the homes that provide access to Clear Lake, California’s largest natural lake.

To learn more about the Keys POA, visit their website at www.keyspoa.net .

A maximum of $20,000 was available for this round of funding with a cap of $5,000 per grant award.

The county received approximately $35,000 in requests for $20,000 in funding; therefore not all of the applications could be fully funded.

The following organizations were awarded recreational mini grant funding based on their number of participants served and programs provided: Clear Lake Scullers, Girl Scouts in Lake County, Lake County Channel Cats, Wiloth Equine Therapy and Youth Services of Lake County.

Clymire thanked all the organizations that help provide wonderful recreational opportunities for Lake County residents.

The recreation mini grants are made available in an effort to show support for county recreation programs during a time when the county cannot afford to fund and operate a countywide recreation division.

A second round of funding is available of $10,000 with a $5,000 maximum award. Priority will be given to applicants that have not received prior funding.

Applications are being accepted until the end of January 2010 and awards will be made in February 2010.

Applications are available through the Public Services Department at 333 Second St., Lakeport, CA 95453.

If you have questions, please contact the Public Services Department at 707-262-1618.