Pretty nifty — guess who’s 50? That would be us, of course, as we celebrate 50 years of reporting on this wild, wacky and wonderful town. Holy Mimeograph! Fifty years doesn’t seem like that long a time, not if you can remember 1964 and stuff like the Beatles first performing on the Ed Sullivan Show. Uh, the Beatles was the group Paul McCartney performed in before Wings.

But in 50 years the Homer News has gone from being a stapled, mimeographed 10-page paper to 32 pages of extensive coverage on everything from the Homer City Council to arts to who got busted for drunk driving last week. We’re even on the web, something that only existed in the imagination of science fiction writers back in 1964. Computers back then were the size of walk-in freezers and could do really complicated calculations like figuring out the value of pi to 100,000 digits.

We’ve changed, Homer has changed and the world has changed, but in some ways, we’re all still the same. We care about this town. We care about our neighbors. We’re trying to make Homer a better place to live. We love the land and Kachemak Bay. We might grumble and argue and get miffed, but like a family, we kiss and make up and stand by each other.

So come on out today from 5 to 7 p.m. at VBS / Specialty Stoves, and join us in celebrating our 50th birthday. It’s really a celebration of you, though, and all the good things you do to make this a great place to live and enjoy life — like with these Best Bets: 

BEST BIGS BET: Here’s a great collaboration between two good nonprofits. If you’re going to Stepping Out, the Homer Council on the Arts variety show at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Mariner Theatre, why not go early to the Big Brothers Big Sisters Mentoring Month fundraiser from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Homer High School commons? Think of it like in the big city, where you might have some appetizers before the opera. The fundraiser includes food, a silent auction, raffle prizes and information on BBBS programs. Tickets are $10 a person or $20 for a family of four. It might be too late, but since Homer does everything at the last minute, the first 30 people to buy tickets get in free for Stepping Out. Tickets are on sale at the Homer Bookstore, where you also can buy tickets for Stepping Out.

BEST OUT AND ABOUT BET: There’s so much talent on the lower Kenai Peninsula, we needed two venues to showcase performing artists this weekend. Alas, you’re going to have to choose, though, because the Anchor Point Public Library’s Cabin Fever Variety Show also is the same night as Stepping Out. Cabin Fever is from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday at Chapman School. Admission is $7 general, $5 for seniors 55 and older and children 12 and younger, and $15 for families. Raffle tickets for a week in Cabo San Lucas also are on sale.

BEST HAPPY BIRTHDAY BET: Here’s another milestone, the centennial of the birth of poet William Stafford. Stafford has gained a following among Homer literati, and they’re honoring his work the best way possible — by reading it aloud. Join them from 6 to 8 p.m.
Saturday at K-Bay Caffe. Bring your own Stafford poem to share.

BEST RANDOM BET: Homer’s awesome Drama, Debate and Forensics team heads up to Anchorage later this month for a big meet, but before they go, they’ll be passing the hat to raise some gas money and other expenses. Help them out with a fundraiser at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Homer High School. It’s an evening of Random Acts of DDF as well as a silent auction. Tickets are $5 adults, $3 students.