Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/613887
The Sacramento Na- tional Wildlife Refuge will be offering a variety of free weekend programs throughout the winter. The programs include birding tram tours, evening water- fowl fly-offs, naturalist at the viewing platform, owl prowls and more. New for this year, the ref- uge will have a variety of ac- tivities for families and kids during the holiday break from Dec. 19 through Jan. 3. These free and unique programs provide excit- ing opportunities for fam- ilies to learn and experi- ence some of the incredi- ble and memorable things that the refuge has to of- fer. On tram tours, a ref- uge guide will assist vis- itors with bird viewing and identification along the six-mile auto tour. Come see and learn about the evening fly-off as hun- dreds of thousands of ducks and geese leave the refuge about 30 minutes after the sun sets. Looking for something to do with the kids over the holiday break? Bring the whole family to the visitor center for educational op- portunities. Learn to draw a duck or goose, sketch beaks and feet, make a journal and get information about the Junior Duck Stamp pro- gram. The new Junior Ref- uge Ranger booklet will be available for children to earn collector's cards fea- turing different animals or plants. Programs are free of charge. Admission to the refuge is $6 per vehicle per day. An annual pass costs $12. Also accepted are Fed- eral Duck Stamps, America the Beautiful Interagency Annual Pass, Senior pass, Access pass, active military pass, and the Every Kid in the Park pass. The visitor center is along Interstate 5, six miles south of Willows. The visi- tor center is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. seven days a week through the end of Febru- ary and is closed on federal holidays. For more information on dates and times, visit http:// www.fws.gov/refuge/Sacra- mento or call 934-2801. WATERFOWL Freeprogramsofferedatwildliferefuge As wonderful as a washing machine is when it comes to saving time and ef- fort, it can also be a trouble- some mem- ber of the household. Washing machines are respon- sible for more than $150 million of damage in homes across the U.S. ev- ery year. Imagine a river flow- ing from your laundry room with hundreds of gallons of water per hour, pouring over thresholds and flooring, soaking your furniture and prized collectibles. It happens. Washing machine hoses score number one in the line up of the most ne- glected maintenance items in a home. Last year, State Farm alone paid more than 7,500 water dam- age claims from bro- ken washing machine hoses. These claims ranged from a few hun- dred dollars to more than $100,000. There are steps you can and should take routinely to make sure this does not happen to you. If you have a wash- ing machine, you need to check the water inlet hoses at least once a year. Not checking them is like not checking the oil in your car. Nothing seems to be amiss until your life flashes in front of you as you see your sofa floating down the front walkway. OK, back to the hoses. There are two of them and they connect the ma- chine to the cold and hot water faucets. You can- not tell by simply look- ing at these hoses if they need to be replaced. Age, chemicals in the water and buildup of calcium deposits over time can degrade rubber. And to complicate matters fur- ther, even a new hose could be old, having lived a good deal of its life in a warehouse. You can't tell by simply looking. However, if you do see a small blister in the rubber of the hose, as- sume that is a disaster just waiting to happen. If the rubber feels brit- tle or shows any signs of cracking, replace it im- mediately. If you can- not remember replacing your water inlet hoses, put that on your list for next weekend; then do it again in three years. Most manufacturers and all insurance companies recommend replacing the hoses every three to five years. You cannot be too cautious. There are two types of hoses available: Rub- ber hoses for about $5 each or braided, stain- less steel hoses for about $15 each. While stainless steel hoses with twisted flexible mesh of stainless steel wire appear to have the edge when it comes to performance, they are not foolproof. The con- nectors can break loose and the rubber interior of the metal hose can de- teriorate. Installing new hoses is not at all difficult. It's like attaching a garden hose. But beware: Instal- lation error is the big- gest cause for premature hose failure. Sharp kinks or bends in the hose can weaken the hose itself or the seal at the connecter. To prevent this, you need to allow 3 to 4 inches between the back of the washing machine and the wall. If you have a tight installation, such as an old shallow laun- dry closet, there are hoses available that have right-angle connectors, allowing the machine to be placed closer to the wall. You may have to special order this un- usual item. 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. EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE Time to give the washing machine a proper checkup Josh Campbell was in the second graduating class, Recruit Series 0602, of the Tehama County Young Marines, Marine Corps League, Detachment 1140, Tehama and Red Bluff in the fall of 2006. He at- tended leadership schools and other training while in the unit for several years. Josh visited town re- cently and on Saturday, Nov. 28, he stopped by to visit John Minton, his for- mer Unit Commander, at his home. John hadn't seen him in a couple years and it was a wonderful surprise. "It's always awesome when these young adults either call, text or visit on Facebook," John said. "In person is always the best, though." Josh is now serving with the US Army's 101st Air As- sault at Ft. Campbell, Ken- tucky. He has earned his jump wings and has ad- vanced rapidly in rank to Specialist. He credits his success to his training in the Young Marines and es- pecially to the adult volun- teers who helped him along his path. The Young Marines is the best thing that ever hap- pened to him, Josh said, especially staying drug free and the leadership training. "It feels especially heart- warming when Young Ma- rines return home or just call or visit," John said. "It was always atreat andareal privilege that each of them allowed any of us adult vol- unteers to be involved in their lives. I'll never regret being there by volunteering. I'm certain that most, if not all, of the adult volunteers in the Young Marines feel the same way. It was truly rewarding." To support the Tehama County Young Marines by donating to them, visit www.youngmarines.com or call 366-0813. YOUTH Visit from a Young Marine Mary Hunt beadadtoday. Take time to C a l l 8 7 7- 4 D A D 4 11 o r v i s i t w w w . f a t h e r h o o d . g o v Savealife.Don'tDriveHoMebuzzeD. BUZZEDDRIVINGISDRUNKDRIVING. Save a life. Don't Drive HoMe buzzeD. BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING. 365-7194 or 365-4322 OPEN 7 DAYS 6am-10pm 8080 AIRPORT ROAD Your full service: Meat Department, Deli & Groceries www.kentsmeats.com On-site HARVESTING CUTTING & CRYOVACING GiveTheGiftOf Hea lth And Fitness (530) 529-1220 100 Jackson St. Red Bluff Holiday Special $25.00 Come in for details Gift Certificates Available Enrollment, Plan Changes, Income & Subsidy Modifications 805 Walnut Street CornerofWalnut&Jackson Red Bluff 530-840-6611 Lic# OK13422 ENROLLMENT Service Assistance CertifiedInsuranceAgent 340HickorySt.,RedBluff 530-527-7755 Mon.11-4,TuesthruSat.10-6 DandyLions Children's Shop Now Carrying New Organic Toys & Clothing, Perfect for Gifting. Published by The Daily News with great appreciation for the support of local businesses! "They come paper in hand …." "We have been advertising with the Red Bluff Daily News for many years and rely on that advertising to move our used car inventory. Many people who come in to inquire about a car have the paper in their hand, so there is no question that they are responding to our ad in the paper." Robert Wood, Growney Motors GROWNEY MOTORS (530) 527-1034 1160 MAIN ST., RED BLUFF LIFESTYLES » redbluffdailynews.com Thursday, December 10, 2015 »MOREATFACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS A4