As part of state budget cuts, Alaska Court System courts and court offices, including the Homer Courthouse, will be closed at noon Fridays starting July 1. Some courts will be open for emergency and time-critical proceedings. During the closures court staff will be on unpaid furlough, resulting in a 4-percent pay cut. The noon Friday closure will save the sate about $2 million a year, according to a press release from the court system.

The Homer Native Plant Society hold a field trip at 1 p.m. Saturday to Wynn Nature Center. Cool off from the hot weather with a walk in the woods at the Wynn Nature Center trails to look for native plants with staff from the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies. Meet in the parking lot at Mile 1.5 East Skyline Road. The trail is not handicap accessible. An ongoing display of wildflowers and plants appears throughout the summer in the different habitats, from bogs to meadows, found in this traditional boreal forest.

Homer Events sponsors a Community Bonfire starting at noon of Aug. 14 at Mariner Park. The event includes a sand-castle building contest, food and craft vendors, musicians, jugglers, story and joke telling sessions and other activities. Donations of firewood are welcome. This is a kid-friendly event, but no pets, please. People or organizations interested in volunteering or donating prizes can contact Dax Radtke at Homer Events, 299-0319 or like the Homer Events Facebook page.

South Peninsula Hospital Auxiliary invited volunteers to serve the hospital. Volunteers are needed for projects such as the hospital gardens, staffing the gift shop and other activities. The auxiliary meets the second Monday of the month with optional lunch provided at 11:30 a.m. and business at noon at the hospital conference room. Call 235-7250 or 235-6003, or receive an informational pamphlet at the gift shop.

Hunger Free America has launched a national hotline phone outreach campaign to make it easier for hungry Americans to get food and for people to volunteer to help end hunger. The hotline connects callers with emergency food providers in their community, government assistance, nutritional assistance programs and various services that promote self-sufficiency. During the summer, the hotline provides information about meal sites where children 18 years old and under can get free, nutritious meals through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Summer Food Service Program (SFSP). The hotline can be reached at 1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-877-8-HAMBRE (for Spanish) from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. EST Monday through Friday. Information also can be found online at www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks. In the lower Kenai Peninsula, Nanwalek is the only community in the summer food program. Organizations wishing to be in the USDA database can visit www.nhc.fns.usda.gov/nhc/submit. Volunteers interested in helping Hunger Free America can visit hungervolunteer.org.

Sandhill crane colts should start fledging soon. Report any observations of sandhill crane colts to Kachemak Crane Watch at 235-6262 or email reports@cranewatch.org. Leave a name and number so Crane Watch can call for more information.

Anchor Point Senior Citizens

The Anchor Point Senior Center on Milo Fritz Road is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m.-noon Friday. The center serves Thursday night dinners starting at 5:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Bingo is at 6:30 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m. on Friday nights. The Helping Hands Thrift Store is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Exercise sessions are at 10 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. For more information, call the senior center at 235-7786.

Friendship Center

Friendship Center Adult Day Services is open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday with extended hours for special situations. Programs are offered daily, including story time, crafts and musical performances. Call 235-4556.

Homer Senior Citizens

Homer Senior Citizens lunch is open to seniors and guests and is served noon-1:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. The lunch menu for this week is: today, roast beef and mashed potatoes; Friday, baked tilapia; Monday, chicken cordon bleu; Tuesday, barbecue beef brisket; Wednesday, chicken parmesan; next Thursday, baked ham with scalloped potatoes.

Strong Women classes are 1:30-2:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Homer Senior Center. The cost is $3 for members and $6 for nonmembers per class.

Zumba Gold classes with Maria are 11 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and 1:30-2:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Homer Senior Center. The cost per class is $4 for members, $6 for nonmembers.

Duplicate Bridge meets at 1 p.m. Thursdays. Tai chi classes are Thursdays at 3 p.m. The cost per class is $3 for members and $6 for nonmembers. Call Daniel Weisser at 235-4555.

Caregiver Support Group meets 2-3:30 p.m. the second and fourth Thursday in the senior center conference room. Call Jacquie Thaute at 299-2924 or Daniel Weisser at 235-4555.

Kachemak Bay Campus

Registration for fall classes is now being held. Classes include welding, History of Alaska, Marine Biology, Painting, Introduction to Law, Music Fundamentals, Geology of Kachemak Bay, Environmental Economics and Policy, Computer Science, Poetry writing, Literature, American Government, Medical Terminology, Grant Proposal Writing, First Aid/CPR and much more. Sign up now, pay later. Advising appointments are available for degree-seeking students. Call 235-7743. For the fall schedule, visit kpc.alaska.edu.

Pratt Museum

The museum gallery is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. seven days a week. Business offices are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.

“Art and Science of Bears” is on exhibit through July 31.

The Historic Harbor Tour is 3 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays. Meet at the kiosk next to the Salty Dawg on the Spit. The fee is $10. Tours are offered through Sept. 1.