The Homer Legislative Information Office at 270 W. Pioneer Ave. is open from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 1-4:30 pm. Monday-Friday, with special hours to accommodate Legislative hearings and teleconferences outside of normal hours. For more information, call 235-7878.
Burn permits are now required and may be picked up at the Homer Volunteer Fire Department or the Kachemak Emergency Services fire stations or online at http://forestry.alaska.gov/burn.
Meet, hear from and chat with the Alaska Democratic Party Executive Director, Jay Parmley and State Party Chair Casey Steinau from 5-7 p.m. Saturday at the Kachemak City Community Center. Discuss the directions and priorities of Alaska’s Democratic Party. The event is open to all interested. For more information, contact Taz Tally at 435-7906 or taztally@me.com.
The Almost Spring Fling Special Olympics Fundraising Bazaar/Plant Sale/Silent Auction is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at the Homer Methodist Church. Included will be a Petting Zoo (by donation), food by Eat Alaska, a Fashion Show at 1:30 p.m. and two Alaska Railroad tickets round trip to Fairbanks.
The Homer Bed and Breakfast Association’s Annual Spring Kickoff is 1-4 p.m. Sunday at the Homestead Restaurant. This popular gathering brings together hosts of dozens of local accommodations to learn directly from local businesses and organizations what services and offerings are available to visitors this season. This helps the association make well-informed recommendations and referrals. There will be social networking, a round-table of presentations, snacks and door prizes — no charge. Call or text Marcia (299-1566) to learn more, volunteer to bring a snack, door prize or help with set up or clean up.
World Labyrinth Day is Saturday, May 6, with events celebrated locally 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church. People from all around the world will be walking labyrinths and praying for peace at 1 p.m. The day will begin at 11 a.m. with chanting, singing and prayer, followed by a labyrinth walk, sharing, and chanting again as church members prepare the soil of St. Augustine’s labyrinth garden for the Homer Community Food Bank. Visiting for the event is Barbara Flaherty, co-founder of the Fourth Order of Francis and Clare. For more information, visit www.labyrinthsociety.org.
Sandhill cranes have arrived. Report sandhill crane 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.
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Road Service Area has announced the following weight restrictions for all borough-maintained roads within the service area, effective now. Weight restrictions are stated as a percentage of legal allowable weight and shall be applied to the maximum axle loading of 17 AAC 25.013(e). All borough-maintained gravel roads: 50 percent; and all borough-maintained paved roads: 75 percent. Additional restrictions and modifications may be imposed as necessary.
The Cooperative Extension Service and Homer Homemakers FCE are offering free testing of pressure canner dial gauges on Monday, May 15, from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. at Ulmer’s Drug and Hardware. Gauges can be tested on or off the canner lid. It is important to have pressure canner dial gauges checked annually to help assure home canned food is safely processed. There will be free food preservation publications available. Pressure canners using weighted gauges do not need to be checked. For more information, call the Cooperative Extension Service Office at 1-800-478-5824.
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
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. At 2 p.m. today, Risa Jackinsky and Dean Sundmark of the Independent Living Center speak on veterans options for independent choice and empowerment and how to access VA benefits. For more information, call Pam Hooker.
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, baked ham; Friday, rockfish Milanese; Monday-next Thursday, 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.
Homer Folk School
Homer Folk School offers these upcoming classes, held at Ageya Wilderness Center above Skyline Drive at the top of East Hill Road. To register or for more information, visit homerfolkschool.org or call 299-9117.
• May 13, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.: Discover Yoga: A Beginner’s Workshop. Learn about or renew your practice in yoga; $45.
• May 13, 6:30-8 p.m.: Fireside Chat: How to Teach Your Skill. There is no charge, but RSVP at the website.
• May 20, 1-4 p.m.: Nature Journaling and Drawing. Learn how to heighten awareness of nature by keeping a nature journal; $60.
• May 21, 4-7 p.m.: Indian Vegetarian Cooking. Explore traditional north Indian cooking; $40.
• May 29, 6-8 p.m.: Wild Edible and Medicinal Plants Walk, Bishop’s Beach. In this guided walk, students learn to identify edible and medicinal plants; $15.
Kachemak Bay Campus
Registration for the 2017 Kachemak Bay Writers’ Conference, June 9-13, is being held. Early bird registration at reduced rates ends May 1. For more information, visit http://writersconference.homer.alaska.edu.
A Student Art Showcase opening featuring work from painting class is 5-6:30 p.m. Friday.
Registration for fall classes has begun for general public and degree-seeking students. See the schedule for most classes at www.kpc.alaska.edu/academics/schedule.
Kachemak Bay Campus Commencement is 7 p.m. May 10 at the Mariner Theatre.
Pratt Museum
The museum gallery is open noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and closed Sundays and Mondays. Business offices are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Artist Argent Kvasnikoff’s exhibit, Qena Sint’isis, is up through May 26. It presents a form of cultural expression that describes a new take on the indigenous culture of the southern Kenai Peninsula. In conjunction with his show, he and Érico Vinicius Nascimento present “Seeing Language: Writing in Art and Design” from 2-3 p.m. May 5. They explore the role of language in art and design and how visual language affects everyday life and personal experience.
Pratt Museum seeks a summer High School Intern. Application packets are available at the Pratt’s front desk. The goal of this internship program is to expose local youth to the many facets of natural history, cultural heritage and interpretive work through community-based programming. Interns receive training in public interpretation and assistance pursuing their interests in science, art, and history. This is a paid, part-time position from June to August 2017. Apply by 5 p.m. Friday. For more information, contact Education Director Chessie Sharp at 435-3322 or education@prattmuseum.org.
South Peninsula Hospital
The annual Safe and Healthy Kids Fair is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at Homer High School. This is a free, fun event for children from tots to teens to focus on safety, health and wellness. The fair offers more than 30 booths and stations with hands on activities and demonstrations. Loads of door prizes are given away throughout the free fair, including the grand prize giveaways at 1:30 p.m. of a tricycle and bicycles.
A bike rodeo will take place in the school parking lot from 10 a.m.-noon. Kids can bring their bikes for a free inspection to get ready for safe, summer fun. Helmets are required, and are available for purchase on site. Free test rides on the drunk-driving simulator ATV cart are offered throughout the day in the parking lot.
Included in the fair is a Teen Room where teens can hang out and enjoy special presentations throughout the day. All teens who visit get entered into a drawing for a mountain bike and tablet.
Stations include safety information, a hand wash station, a teddy bear clinic, hearing tests, face painting, water safety, giveaways and more. Numerous summer programs offer sign up at the fair. Food will be available for purchase, and proceeds benefit the safe and healthy kids coalition, a local group of concerned agencies working towards safe and healthy youth and injury prevention. For more information, contact www.sphosp.org or Red Asselin at Sprout at 235-6044.
