Best Bets

Well folks, it’s the first of August, and you know what that means. It’s getting close to the final hoorah for summer – but that doesn’t mean we’re slowing down yet! Salmonfest is here again, taking place this weekend at the Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds. First Friday events and exhibits are coming soon with incredible art for viewing and artists to hear from across Homer’s multiple galleries — don’t miss out! For other happenings around town, check out these Best Bets!

BEST KIDS’ SELF DEFENSE BET: The Homer Police Department will be holding a self-defense class for children ages 8-14 on Saturday, Aug. 3 from 1-3 p.m. The course will cover what kids can do if a stranger approaches, gets in their safety bubble or if someone grabs them. For questions or to register your child for the class, contact Lt. Ryan Browning at 907-235-3150 or rbrowning@ci.homer.ak.us. 625 Grubstake Ave.

BEST INSPIRATION RIDGE PRESERVE TOUR BET: Are you curious about the Inspiration Ridge Preserve? Join co-founder Nina Faust, who pieced together the 700-acre preserve with her late husband Ed Bailey, for a second special tour on Thursday, Aug. 8 from 10 a.m. to noon. Learn the story of the preserve and see some of the hidden spots as Nina takes you along her favorite trails! Advance registration is required; tickets are between $5 and $35. For more information or to register, contact the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies at 907-235-6746 or info@akcoastalstudies.org.

BEST COMMUNITY IMPACT AWARDS BET: The Anchorage Daily News, Peak 2 Peak Events, and the Alaska Journal of Commerce are joining forces to celebrate the Community Impact Awards, recognizing neighborhood nonprofit organizations that have made a profound difference in the lives of Alaskans. Nominations may be submitted once daily until Aug. 19. Voting for the top 20 nonprofits will be available starting Aug. 23, through Sept. 16. If you have a local nonprofit you want to nominate, make sure to add them today! For more information, visit the Homer Chamber of Commerce Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HomerChamberofCommerce/.

BEST CITIZEN SCIENCE BET: Kachemak Crane Watch needs your help! Depending on when sandhill crane parents started nesting, the 60-70 days it takes to raise a colt to fledging, or flight, is about to end, especially for the early nesters. Please report sightings of fledged crane colts – KCW needs to know where and when the colts were able to fly off with the adults. Make sure to include the specific location and other helpful information, as well as your contact information. If the colts you have been watching have disappeared or died, please report this as well. Successful fledging and mortality reports help Kachemak Crane Watch determine nesting success for the year compared to previous years. Your Citizen Science reports are vital to KCW monitoring of the nesting season. To submit reports, email reports@cranewatch.org or call 907-235-6262.

BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY SLOUGH WALKS BET: Join Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve on their Family-Friendly Walks on the Beluga Slough on Wednesdays from 2-3 p.m. Learn about salt marsh plants, birds and animals, local currents and tides, local geology and soils, and the long-term monitoring programs that KBNERR has been leading for the past 10+ years. For more information, contact 907-299-4370 or ieharrald@alaska.edu. 95 Sterling Highway.

BEST ASK A GROWER BET: Every Thursday from 4:30-6 p.m., the Kachemak Bay Campus agriculture staff will be pruning tomatoes, trellising cucumbers, attacking weeds and working the land. Stop by the KBC high tunnel, located at the back of the campus parking lot, and learn about growing in Alaska from scratch. Everyone is welcome. For more information, call 907-235-1674. 533 E Pioneer Ave.