Town Crier

A Kachemak Bay Birders meeting and presentation “Nome: Exploring the Wildlife, Landscapes, and History of Alaska’s Arctic by Road” will be at 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 24 at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. Kachemak Bay Birder Carol Harding visited Nome with some Homer friends last June and was surprised not only to discover a rich habitat that attracts birds, and birders, from all over the world, but also an area rich in culture and history. Come and enjoy this interesting presentation featuring a beautiful Alaska birding hotspot.

Everyone is welcome to attend and enjoy this meeting and presentation. If you are a new birder or have an interest in birding or want to learn what we Kachemak Bay Birders do, please attend. All meetings are free and open to the public and are cosponsored by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. Check out the website kachemakbaybirders.org. For questions, call Lani Raymond 399-9477.

The Anchor Point Fire & Emergency Medical Service Area Board will hold its next board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19 at the Anchor Point Fire Station, 72440 Milo Fritz Ave. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. For more information, call 235-6700

Kachemak Bay State Parks is currently recruiting for members for the Kachemak Bay State Parks Citizens Advisory Board. This advisory board provides Alaska State Parks with recommendations and input on management issues in Kachemak Bay State Park, Eveline State Recreation Site and Diamond Creek State Recreation Area. Board members meet the second Wednesday of the month September through May from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center in Homer. If you are interested in applying for this advisory board please fill out an application at http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/misc/boards.htm under State Park Advisory Boards. Please mail or e-mail your application to Alaska State Parks, 95 Sterling Highway, Homer AK, 99603. Applications are due by March 31, 2020. For more information please contact the Southern District Ranger Jason Okuly at 435-7595 or Jason.Okuly@alaska.gov

The Kenai Peninsula Borough Homer Annex has moved to its new location at 638 East Pioneer Ave. in the Homer Borough Maintenance building east of the Homer Volunteer Fire Department. The annex door is to the right of the double garage doors. For more information call 235-9837.

Kenai Peninsula Votes tidbit:

Do you know where you are going to be on Aug. 18 and/or Nov. 3 this year? The first date is the state and national primaries and the latter date is the state and national elections. If you think you’re going to be out of town during that time (maybe going to college or traveling), Kenai Peninsula Votes (KPV) wants to remind you that you can register today for your absentee ballot for these elections. Just go to the Alaska Division of Elections website: http://www.elections.alaska.gov/Core/votingbymail.php and follow the directions. Many people already vote absentee, but there are also others who don’t vote because they are not currently in the state, but don’t request an absentee ballot.

Remember, all votes count and your voice is as important as everyone else’s. The next tidbit will be about voting absentee for the city and borough elections which will happen Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Ultimate Frisbee group meets from 7-9 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays at the SPARC. Contact: Sunny at 441-0314.

Kenai Peninsula Borough Solid Waste facilities will be closed on Sundays for the winter through April 26. For more information contact the KPB Solid Waste Department at 907-262-9667. Due to a change in its recycle market, Kenai Peninsula Borough Solid Waste facilities will no longer accept D grade plastic film, including plastic shopping bags. Also, they are only accepting #1 PETE beverage bottles with twist tops for recycling.

Anchor Point Senior Citizens

The Anchor Point Senior Center on Milo Fritz Avenue, is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon Friday.

The center serves Thursday night dinners starting at 5 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 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Exercise sessions are at 10 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. For information, call 235-7786.

Friendship Center

Friendship Center Adult Day Services is open 9 a.m. to 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

The Caregiver Support Group meets 2-3:30 p.m. the second and fourth Thursday in the senior center conference room. Call Pam Hooker at 299-7198 or Robbie Fuller at 235-4555.

Homer Senior Citizens lunch is open to seniors and guests and is served noon-1:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Lunch costs $7 for seniors age 60 and older, and $15 for those under 60. The lunch menu for this week is: today, turkey; Friday, halibut tacos; Monday, stuffed shells with meat; Tuesday, balsamic roast chicken; Wednesday, spaghetti with Italian sausage; and next Thursday, walnut crusted pork.

Strong Women classes are 1:30-2:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Homer Senior Center.

Zumba Gold classes with Maria are 11 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and 1:30-2:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Homer Senior Center.

Tai chi classes are Thursdays at 3 p.m.

Duplicate Bridge meets at 1 p.m. Thursdays. Call Robbie Fuller at 235-4555. Duplicate Bridge is $3 for members and $5 for non-members.

Strong Women, Zumba and Tai Chi are $5 for members and $7 for non-members.

Hospice of Homer

Widow’s Support Group meets every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at Hospice of Homer. The group is for women who have lost a spouse or a family member, or partner and seek support from practical matters like insurance to emotional support. For more information, call Marsha Graham at 235-5925 or Marcia Lowe at 435-0403.

Living with Loss, a weekly walk-in conversation about loss and bereavement, is on Tuesdays from noon to 1 p.m.

Kachemak Bay Campus

Free Adult Education Drop in Classes are available at Bayview Hall of Kachemak Bay Campus on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 5-6:30 p.m. Work towards a GED (high school equivalency), improve English reading and writing skills, or prepare for citizenship. Classes are free. Call 235-1606 for more information.

Weekly Tibetan Buddhist Meditation with Chökyi Ösel Rinpoche/Ellen Chambers takes place at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays in room P219 of Pioneer Hall. These free classes will include meditation instruction, 20 minutes of sitting meditation, and a short teaching followed by discussion and questions.

Great Decisions Discussion Group will be held from 4:30-6 p.m. in room P219 of Pioneer Hall at Kachemak Bay Campus every second Thursday of the month. Do you wish you knew more about world affairs? Do you want to have a voice in policy decisions made by our leaders? Join monthly facilitated discussions based on one chapter of the Foreign Policy Association 2020 Great Decisions Briefing Book. This free, non-partisan event is hosted by Elise Boyer and Kat Haber. Questions? Call Elise at 435.7025.

MS Excel (PC) Basics will be taught Feb. 22 and Feb. 29 from noon to 2 p.m. Learn the fundamentals of using Excel. Includes basic commands, functions, charts, graphs, formulas, worksheets, shortcuts and more. Early registration costs $65. Visit https://kbcnoncredit.asapconnected.com/ or call 235-7743.

Daily Painting with Asia Freeman will be held from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays on Feb. 22, March 28 and April 25. Discipline your studio practice with small, daily paintings. This one-credit class is for intermediate painters who seek critical and technical support for consistent, improved results in painting. Register online at uaonline.alaska.edu or visit Pioneer Hall. Call 235-7743 for more information.

Alaska Islands and Oceans Visitor Center

The Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center is open Tuesday-Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.

Join the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge team from 1-4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14 at the Wynn Nature Center for the Wynn-ter Family Outdoor Day. This event is free.

Join the monthly Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges meeting from 5-6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18 where photographer extraordinaire and Refuges’ Communication Coordinator Lisa Hupp, will bring you along on assignment from a photographer’s perspective through her photos.

South Peninsula Hospital

The board of directors meets every fourth Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. in the hospital’s conference room. The next meeting is Wednesday, Feb. 26 and the meetings are open to the public. Check the calendar on the hospital’s website at sphosp.org for regular updates.