Wait a second an election?

Visitors passing through might think, Whoa, what the heck kind of a town is this, holding an election in June? Aren't elections like sort of a late summer, fall sort of thing? Well, that's why they call it special. No, no, not Homer the election on June 15. For the past 18 months, opinions about this election topic (see page one for the skinny) have been uttered, spouted, shouted, proclaimed and mumbled around here. Usually we save these kind of debates for the coldest days of winter just to keep from going stir crazy but sometimes an issue proves so entertaining we go into overtime. Consider it our way of showing visitors a side of Homer they wouldn't otherwise see.

But if political theater doesn't thrill you, and you came to Homer to put that sort of dramarama behind you, hey, don't worry, there are lots of other things to do, like some of these Best Bets:

BEST GRIP AND GRIN BET: Golden shovels and dignitaries speechifying: newspapers hate these kind of photo-ops, because they're so staged and corny. Only, heck, you know, it's progress and a sign of bigger and better things. So if you're in town at 11 a.m. Friday, swing by the Kachemak Bay Campus on East Pioneer Avenue for the formal groundbreaking ceremony for the new campus addition.

BEST CHEAP TRIP ACROSS THE BAY BET: You'll have to get up early and put in a day of hard work, but what better way to get across the bay for the price of gas? Saturday is Trails Day in Kachemak Bay State Park. For $15, you can get a water taxi ride and a shank's-mare perspective on Homer's hidden paradise. Sign up today at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitors Center and show up 7 a.m. Saturday at the Seafarer's Memorial on the Homer Spit.

BEST I LIKE WHAT YOU'VE DONE WITH THE OTTERS BET: Did they like move the furniture or something at the Pratt Museum? It looks different really different. Yup, they totally redid the main floor. To celebrate the new exhibit, the Pratt holds an opening ceremony for "Kachemak Bay: An Exploration of People and Place" from 7-9 p.m. Saturday.

BEST AND LOOKING VERY RELAXED ON BASS BET: Halibut fishing capital of the world, end of the road and marimba central for Alaska, yes, that's us. Homer's senior marimba group, juJuba, has been touring Alaska this week and returns Tuesday for a concert at 7:30 p.m. at Alice's Champagne Palace. Special guest performers and marimba mentors Michael and Osha Breez join the group. Tickets are $10, with a portion going to Nhimbe for Progress, an organization providing aid in rural Zimbabwe, where marimba has its roots.