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.
The Parkinson’s Support Group meets 1 p.m. Friday at the Homer Senior Citizens Center Conference Room. For more information, call Jolee Ellis at 235-6349.
The Homer Native Plant Society presents a hike, “Exploring the McNeil Fen,” with Jane Middleton on Saturday. Meet in the gravel pit next to McNeil Canyon School parking lot at 1 p.m. for a short hike to the trails that lead to the fen. This fen, located behind the McNeil Canyon School, contains unique plants that thrive in wet areas, such as orchids, carnivorous plants like Sundews and other amazing tiny plants. Wear rubber boots and dress for the weather. The hike is limited to 10 people. For reservations, email jwoodring@alaska.net.
A Trail Work Party in Kachemak Bay State Park is Saturday. Join the work party and help park specialist Eric Clarke and other volunteers clear a section of Grace Ridge trail. It’s a great opportunity to hike, learn about the park and help keep trails open. No skills are necessary, just a desire to help out and have fun. Free transportation into the park is provided. The boat leaves at 8:30 a.m. and returns at 4:30 p.m. All tools are provided. To sign up, call 435-7969 or email kbayvolunteer@gmail.com.
Taz Tally presents a guided hike at Diamond Creek from 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. Join Tally at the Diamond Creek trail for hot dogs and hiking. Taz will talk about the natural history and geology of the area during a short hike, followed by a hot dog picnic. The event is free and open to all ages, with a limit of 15 people. Participants are asked to provide their own transportation to the trail head and bring picnic supplies. To sign up, call 435-7969 or email kbayvolunteer@gmail.com.
Progressive Groups meet from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, July 13, at the Kachemak City Community Center, 59906 Bear Creek Drive, Mile 4 East End Road. For questions or information, contact Ron Keffer, Citizens AKtion Network (CAN) at 299-0821, central@citizensaktionnetwork.org, or Taz Tally Alaska Democratic Party District 31 Chair, 435-7906 or taztally@me.com. The key topic to be discussed is coordinating and integrating Progressive Groups’ goals, agendas and efforts.
The Anchor Point Fire &Emergency Medical Service Area Board holds its next board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 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.
A meeting to learn more about foster care and adoption on the Kenai Peninsula is 6-9 p.m. Wednesday, July 19, at 145 Main Street Loop in Kenai. The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Office of Children’s Services, offers monthly Resource Family Orientations to give interested individuals a brief overview of the state’s foster care and adoption programs and process. To learn more about how to make a difference in a child’s life and in your community, please join them. For more information, call Michelle Partridge at 907-283-3136.
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. 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.
Central Area Rural Transit (CARTS) along with local partners South Peninsula Hospital, South Peninsula Behavioral Health Services Inc., Independent Living Center and Ryder Transport announce that the Public Taxi Voucher has been extended through the month of July. Please use any vouchers you currently have. Vouchers sold during this period will be sold through CARTS’ office and they will not sell vouchers after July 20. All vouchers will expire July 31.
After July 31, people who still have vouchers can call the CARTS office at 907-262-8900 to arrange a refund. All refunds must be processed by Aug. 31. CARTS intends to continue providing public transportation in Homer and will evaluate the best way to provide service going forward. For questions or more information, call CARTS at 907-262-8900.
The Seldovia Village Tribe Health &Wellness Anchor Point clinic is closed due to damage resulting from a vehicle impacting the building on the evening of Sunday, July 2. Patients will be rescheduled to the Homer clinic. Appointments are available in Homer six days a week, Mondays through Saturdays. Call 226-2228 to make an appointment. The Anchor Point clinic will open again after necessary repairs are made.
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.
Cooperative Extension
When the calendar turns to July, Alaskans can be sure rhubarb is available in mass quantities. It’s time to enjoy a dish that is easily plant to plate in about 15 minutes. Rhubarb sauce needs just rhubarb, water and a sweetener. Rhubarb sauce has many uses such as a topping on yogurt, on hot cereal or over ice cream. You can find the Rhubarb Sauce recipe and many more by going to http://uaf.edu/ces/pubs/catalog/ and enter Rhubarb Recipes (FNH-00064) in the search. Cooperative Extension also has hard copies available for free at its office at 43961 Kalifornsky Beach Road, Suite A, Soldotna, AK 99669. It is located in the same building as the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
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, country style roast pork; Friday, battered cod; Monday, sweet and sour pork; Tuesday, beef tacos; Wednesday, fish of the day, next Thursday, roast beef with mashed potatoes and gravy.
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. Monday. 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.
South Peninsula Hospital – Homer Medical Center
Homer Medical Center offers free sports physicals at a one-day clinic on Saturday, July 22, for high school students who need a physical for participation in school sanctioned activities. Appointments are not necessary, and exams are offered from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the clinic on Bartlett Street. Exams on this one-day event are being offered free of charge by providers from Homer Medical Center.
Parents are asked to complete page one of the two-page exam form prior to presenting at the clinic. See the form at the South Peninsula Hospital and Homer Medical Center websites at www.sphosp.org and homermedical.org. All students must bring or wear loose fitting shorts for the screening.
If students are not able to attend the sports physical day, they can make an appointment for a wellness exam and a sports physical form will be filled out as part of the wellness exam which should be at no cost to a patient with insurance. Those without insurance and who do not make the free sports physical day can have a sports physical appointment on a regular clinic day at a cost of $40. Please contact Homer Medical Center at 235-8586 for additional information.
