The Homer Volunteer Fire Department reminds campers to extinguish camp fires when done and to thoroughly stir embers with water. Make sure the fire is all the way out and cool to the touch. As Smokey Bear says, “If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to leave.” For more information on camp fire safety, visit smokeybear.com.

City of Homer natural gas assessments are due July 1. Payments may be made in person at City Hall at 491 E. Pioneer Ave., by mail, or with a credit card over the phone by calling 235-8121. City Hall business hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For questions or problems, call Juli at 435-3111.

The Exchange, a syringe exchange program, offers free syringe exchanges the first and third Tuesdays of the month at the South Peninsula Hospital Training Center, 203 West Pioneer Avenue, in the southwest corner of the building. Exchanges are held 5-7 p.m. Because Tuesday is the Fourth of July holiday, the next Exchange is Wednesday, July 5. Upcoming dates are July 18, Aug. 1, Aug. 15, Sept. 5, Sept. 19, Oct. 3, Oct. 17, Nov. 7, Nov. 21, Dec. 5 and Dec. 19. The Exchange is a program established and operated by a group of individuals and agency representatives in the Homer area that support the idea of harm-reduction and safer drug use as a means of making our community a safer place to live. The primary goal of The Exchange is to reduce the spread of Hepatitis C, HIV/AIDS and bacterial infections among intravenous drug users by exchanging used needles for clean ones. For more information, email homerexchange@gmail.com.

The Homer Chess Club meets 4:45-5:45 p.m. every Monday (except holidays) at the Homer Public Library. Everyone of all ages are welcome. The current club was started by brothers Bryce and Sybastian Rindlisbacher who asked their mother to start a chess club. For more information, contact Wes Schact at 299-7470.

Sandhill crane chicks have hatched. Report sightings to Kachemak Crane Watch at 235-6262 or reports@cranewatch.org. Provide date, time, location and number of cranes. Leave a name and number in case they need more details.

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 information, call 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

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 Daniel Weisser at 235-4555.

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 turkey; Friday, baked halibut; Monday-Wednesday,to be announced.

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.

Kachemak Bay Campus

Registration for fall classes is open for general public and degree-seeking students. Classes include Mushrooms of Kachemak Bay (Sept. 15-16), Ceramics, Computer Science, Geology, Calculus, Russian History, History of Alaska, Introduction to Creative Writing, Welding, Yoga, Conservation Biology and Global Climate Change. Sign up early. Appointments are available with an advisor throughout the summer. See the schedule for most classes at www.kpc.alaska.edu/academics/schedule.

Pratt Museum

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

Historic Harbor Walking Tours are held starting at the Pratt wheelhouse at the Salty Dawg on the Spit. From 3-4:30 p.m. every Monday and Thursday through Sept. 4, a museum docent leads a tour of the historic Homer Harbor docks. Admission is $10 a person or $8 when purchased with museum admission.

Artist David Rosenthal’s show, “Art and Science on the Katmai Coast,” is on exhibit through July 30.

The Patrons of the Pratt Society (POPS) celebrates its 20th anniversary from 3-5 p.m. July 10. POPS has been an integral part of the Museum’s development over the past 20 years. All are welcome. There is free admission after 2 p.m. Refreshments provided.

Road Construction

East End Road Mile 5.2-12.6

A pavement preservation project is now underway from Mile 5.5-12.6 East End Road from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Expect delays of about 10 minutes. Work being done includes lining with rock and cleaning ditches, replacing about 40 culverts, regrading some curves, putting down a subbase and new pavement, installing guard rails, striping and sign replacement. The anticipated completion date is Oct. 31.

Student News

Ivy Bloom graduated with a bachelor of science in Public Health from Oregon State University, Corvallis. She is the daughter of Kenton Bloom, Dana Whittaker and John Brau.