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Ifthere'sonethingthat I love about my loyal read- ers, it's how responsive you are. Sometimes you like what you read, other times not so much. Now and then you simply need more informa- tion. But no matter what, I can always count on hearing from you. Which brings me to a previous column I wrote on pulling the plug on subscription pay TV. It brought a huge response. According to NPD Group, the average TV bill is $123 per month — more than $1,400 a year. For many, that's money that could be better used to build an emergency fund or pay off debt. No won- der that column struck a chord with so many read- ers. The most-asked ques- tion had to do with the need for an antenna to re- ceive free, local HD broad- casting. Which kind? Which one works best? As I was fielding your messages, my husband and I were in the process of relocating. We did it! In April, we moved from Cal- ifornia to northern Colo- rado, about 20 miles north of Denver. What a change from big city life in Or- ange County to living in the country. Our little vil- lage boasts a population of just 18,000. And what a perfect opportunity to test antennas to find the best way to enjoy free TV and quality programming in our new location. To say there are many choices when it comes to TV antennas would be quite an understatement. But not to worry. I've done all the testing so you won't have to. The antennas that worked for us in California couldn't do the job in our new, more remote area. My new testing ground was the basement of our new home, where my hus- band has set up his work- out area. Could there be a more challenging place to get great TV reception than underground, against a concrete wall, out in the boonies? I'm happy to report that I found an antenna that's up to the job and boy is it amazing. FlatWave Amped Indoor Amplified HDTV Antenna by Winegard gets my vote for the best option — and at less than $50. If you're ready to pull the plug, this is a one-time purchase that will save you lots in the long run, giving you the equivalent of a huge raise with money you can stop sending to your cable or satellite company every month. With this antenna, we get every HD broadcast channel from the Denver area and even a few from Wyoming. The picture quality is fabulous with very few — if any — drop- outs. And here's the funny thing: the FlatWave an- tenna is jammed behind a water pipe, up against a subterranean concrete wall — nowhere close to a window. And it works like a champ. With all of the local HD quality programming available to us for free plus Netflix, Hulu (about $16 per month for both) and Amazon Prime ($99 a year), plus a streaming box such as Roku, we're set with more TV and movie entertainment than we have time to watch. For more info about the prod- ucts and services men- tioned in this column, please visit www.everyday- cheapskate.com/1400raise. Wouldyouliketosend a tip to Mary? You can email her at mary@ everydaycheapskate. com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, 12340 Seal Beach Blvd., Ste. B-416, Seal Beach, CA 90740. EVERYDAYCHEAPSKATE Have you given yourself the $1,400 raise yet? How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb? One, but only if the light bulb really wants to change. Changing light bulbs to those that are more energy- efficient has many benefits and fortunately, it doesn't take a Ph.D. to figure out which bulbs to use. Using energy efficient lighting is an easy and effective first step in reducing electricity demand by up to 75 percent for the average homeowner. This translates to savings on your utility bill. Energy-efficient light- ing technology has signif- icantly evolved over the past few years as highly efficient Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) are replac- ing Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) and tradi- tional incandescent lights. LEDs provide the same amount of brightness, or lumens, as traditional bulbs but use less watts, or energy in doing so. They also have an extensive lifes- pan ranging from five to 25 times longer than standard bulbs, which is convenient for hard-to-reach fixtures. Unlike CFLs, LEDs contain no mercury and therefore avoid the required hazard- ous waste disposal at the end of their life. LEDs oper- ate on cool light that helps maintain indoor comfort, unlike incandescent bulbs that generate heat. Fur- thermore, LEDs are avail- able for most fixtures and applications to include dimmable and non-dim- mable options. Despite the benefits of LEDs, they fall victim to a few lingering misconcep- tions. While the initial cost of a LED bulb is greater than other lighting options, it turns out to be less ex- pensive to use when consid- ering the entire lifespan of the bulb. Another thought on the minds of many is the harsh blue light emitted by LEDs or partially blinding LED headlights on a car. Fortunately, technologi- cal advances have driven a higher standard for quality and how well a LED light is able to reproduce colors to avoid the harsh glare in a home or business setting. Shopping based on lu- mens and Kelvins is the best way to find color ap- pealing, energy efficient lighting for your home and business. Concerned that energy efficient lighting doesn't look as good? Check for a light bulb's color tem- perature in Kelvins to get just the look you're going for. You can find informa- tion about a bulb's lumens and Kelvins from the label on its packaging. Consider these tips for placing LEDs in each room of your home or business: Cool light is generally preferred for most task lighting applications be- cause it produces higher contrast than warm light. Warm light is preferred for relaxing spaces because it is more flattering to skin tones and clothing. A wall with darker paint will reflect less light, which means more lumens may be needed in the room's light fixtures. In the kitchen the rec- ommended color tempera- ture is 3,000 Kelvins. Con- sider a minimum of 450 lumens for lighting coun- tertop task areas and from 5,000 to 10,000 lumens for overhead lighting. A range from 2,700 to 3,000 Kelvins is recom- mended for the bathroom with the ideal vanity light- ing at a minimum of 1,700 lumens The recommended color temperature for the office or desk space is from 4,000 to 4,500 Kelvins. Consider a natural white light LED to prevent eye strain. If swapping out all of your inefficient lighting for more efficient prod- ucts isn't in your short- term budget, change just the five most frequently used fixtures in your home to bulbs that have earned the ENERGY STAR desig- nation. The ENERGY STAR is awarded to select bulbs, fixtures, and appliances that meet strict efficiency, quality, and lifetime crite- ria. So how will you re- spond the next time you are asked how many psy- chiatrists it takes to change a light bulb? With a 'watts up doc' followed by enlight- ening LED tips for energy efficiency. For more bright ideas about energy efficient lighting and how to bet- ter manage energy usage, visit EnergyUpgradeCA. org. This article was submitted by the Resource Conservation District of Tehama County (RCDTC), a California Special District that assists citizens with managing, conserving and improving the natural resources of Tehama County. Energy Upgrade California® is a state initiative to educate residents and small business consumers about energy management. CONSERVATION Wattsup,Doc? Halloween is chalk full of ghoulish traditions. Most frightening of these is the amount of waste that's pro- duced from the feverish cel- ebration of a holiday. In fact, according to Real Simply magazine, nearly 25,000,000 pounds of Hal- loween costumes are land- filled each year, and that's not including decorations and candy wrappers. Now that's scary. This year, help reduce waste and choose to reuse. Because most cos- tumes are worn so few times, they are generally in good condition and can be passed along to an- other child. As such, the Tehama County Library and Te- hama County Solid Waste Management Agency are hosting a Costume Swap for all Tehama County youth. To participate, simply drop off any gently used costumes at the Red Bluff branch of the Tehama County Library before Oct. 21 during normal business hours. You will receive one Cos- tume Swap Voucher for each complete costume. Then, come back 1-6 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 24 for games, raffles, an I Scream Social fundraiser and pick out a costume for each voucher you present. Have a box full of cos- tumes that your grown children no longer need? Donate them to the swap to help increase the selec- tion for participating chil- dren. Remember, monetary donations are always wel- come and will go towards the new Tehama County Li- brary. HALLOWEEN County to promote costume swap Mary Hunt ORLAND The Orland Buttes Campground, lo- cated on the Glenn County side of Black Butte Lake, is closed for the season. The recreation area and launch will re-open in April. Campers will find plenty of campsites available at the Buckhorn Recreation Area. Buckhorn is open for camping year round. Boaters can launch at Buckhorn or Eagle Pass launch ramps. The day-use fee is $4 per vehicle at both areas. An- nual passes are available for $30 and are good for a 12-month period. Federal discount pass holders are entitled to a 50 percent re- duction in all recreational fees. Day-use fees will be free on Saturday, Sept. 26 in honor of National Public Lands Day. Launch a boat or en- joy a family picnic free of charge. Additional information can be obtained by calling 865-4781 or by stopping by the Black Butte Lake Park Office, 8 miles west of Or- land on Newville Road. Business hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. ORLAND Seasonal changes for Black Butte Lake YREKA In partnership with the California State Parks, Off-Highway Mo- tor Vehicle Recreation Division and the Siski- you County Off Road Rid- ers, the Klamath National Forest recently completed a number of improve- ments to two off-high- way riding areas on pub- lic lands. The Juniper Flat OHV Area is located on the Goosenest Ranger Dis- trict and offers 48 acres of open riding terrain. It has a day use parking area plus new amenities including: a shaded pavilion, picnic ta- bles and barbecues, vault toilets, and a loading and unloading ramp. A second phase for Ju- niper Flat is planned for next year and includes ad- ditional improvements to the roadways in the day- use area such as gravel and boulders to define the area. In addition the Goosenest Ranger District offers 657 miles of road, outside the OHV area, open for off- highway vehicle use. The Humbug OHV Area is located on the Happy Camp/Oak Knoll Ranger District and offers 14 miles of trails — open to vehicles 50 inches or less in width — a youth riding area and 5 acres of open riding ter- rain. It has a day use park- ing area, picnic tables, two campsites, vault toilets, and a loading and unload- ing ramp. In addition the Happy Camp/Oak Knoll Ranger District offers an additional 695 miles of roads and trails open to ATV and motorcycle use outside the OHV area. For details about roads open to off-highway vehi- cles please pick up a cur- rent copy of the Klamath National Forest Motor Ve- hicle Use Map, which is available free of charge at all Klamath National For- est Offices and is available online at www.fs.usda.gov/ klamath. Each of the areas is roughly a 25-minute drive from Yreka. Directions to Juniper Flat OHV Area From Yreka take S. Main Street to Moonlight Oaks, make a left onto Moonlight Oaks and then a right onto Interstate 5 South, take In- terstate 5 South to the Gre- nada Exit 766 onto County Road A-12, make a left onto County Road A-12, keep on County Road A-12 till you arrive at Juniper Flat OHV Riding Area. Directions to Humbug OHV Area From Yreka take N. Main Street to Highway 263, from Highway 263 make a left turn onto Hawkinsville Humbug Road(7J002), keep on Hawkinsville Humbug Road till its intersection with Humbug Creek Road (8J002), turn left onto Humbug Creek Road, till its intersection with Forest Route 45N47 (7J001) stay slight right, keep on For- est Route 45N47 till you ar- rive at Humbug OHV Rid- ing Area. KLAMATH FOREST Ar ea s op en t o off -h ig hw ay r id er s Save Haven Horse Rescue will host its Fall Playday at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 at Bobby Jones Arena in Cot- tonwood. Save Haven Horse Res- cue is a 501C3, non-profint, all volunteer rescue dedi- cated to giving abused and neglected horses a second chance. The event is open to horse lovers and riders of all experience levels to com- pete for fun and prizes. All proceeds go to the horses at Save Haven. Come help the horses and have fun at the same time. Call 347-4941 or go to www.safehavenhorseres- cue.org for more informa- tion. FUNDRAISER Safe Haven to hold annual Fall Playday PLEASE RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER. STOVEJUNCTION The TheNorthState'spremiersupplierofstoves 22825 Antelope Blvd., Red Bluff 530-528-2221 • Fax 530-528-2229 www.thestovejunction.com Over 25 years of experience Tues-Sat9am-5pm• ClosedSun&Mon Now Carrying! 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