The Homer Legislative Information Office at 270 W. Pioneer Ave., is now open for the second session of the 29th State Legislature. At the office, citizens can participate in the legislative process by obtaining public documents, attending committee meetings telephonically and by submitting testimony on legislation. The LIO also has Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend application forms and can help people apply for their PFD online. Normal office hours are 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, and closed for lunch from noon-1 p.m. For more information, call 235-7878.

It’s Jupiter January at the MakerSpace. Design rockets then print them on 3D printers. Makers will aim for Jupiter and launch at the end of the month. Available to kids in grades 4-8, Makerspace is free and meets 3:30-5:30 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays on East Bunnell Avenue near Two Sisters Cafe. Makerspace also is open with classes for all ages from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday in January. For more information and to register, email HomerMakerSpace@gmail.com.

The Alaska Office of Boating Safety offers “Alaska Water Wise,” a free course designed for the Alaska recreational boater, from 9:45 a.m.-5:45 p.m. Jan. 23 at the Homer Public Library. The 8-hour course is approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and recognized by the U.S. Coast Guard. The course satisfies most state’s boating education requirements and may even qualify boaters for boat insurance discounts. For more information or to register, contact Joe McCullough at 907-269-8704 or email joseph.mccullough@alaska.gov.

The annual winter conference of the Alaska Peony Growers Association will take place in Homer at Land’s End Resort from Jan. 28-30. With more than 27 sessions and 23 speakers, there is something for everyone, from the experienced peony grower to grower schools for the beginners. For further information, visit alaskapeonyconference.com.

The Kachemak Bay Birders’ next meeting is 4:30 p.m. Monday at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center in the Auditorium. Following the meeting there will be a presentation by Marie McCarty, executive director of the Kachemak Heritage Land Trust, entitled “Birds Need Land, Too!” She will discuss efforts by KHLT and Audubon Alaska to identify land in the KHLT conservation portfolio of significance to priority Alaska birds, and to considering their habitat needs as KHLT acquires additional acreage for conservation. This event is cosponsored by the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. It is free and everyone is welcome to attend. For more information, contact Lani Raymond at 399-9477 or email lani67@alaska.net.

The Kachemak Bay Masonic Club holds a spaghetti feed fundraiser from 5:30-8 p.m. Jan. 29 at the Homer Elks Lodge. All proceeds benefit Hospice of Homer and the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies. Tickets are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Children 8 and under are free. Advance tickets may be purchased by calling Hospice of Homer at 235-6899, the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies at 235-6746 and the Kachemak Bay Masonic Club at 235-3677.

The 2016 Homer Winter Carnival and Homer Events seeks people to participate in the Outhouse Races and the Mr. Homer Pageant. The Outhouse Race is a great way for any family, group, business or organization to have some laughs as a team. The entry fee is $100 which goes to defraying costs involved, with any extra given to a local charity. The Mr. Homer Pageant is open to men and women. People can nominate any amazing personalities to enter by submitting a paragraph or two explaining why that person is qualified to represent Homer as an “exemplary example of extraordinary-ness.” The entry fee is $25. The carnival also seeks businesses or organizations to sponsor events. To register for either event, or to sign up as a sponsor, go to Homer Events on Facebook or call Dax Radtke of Homer Events at 299-0319.

The Alaska Democratic Party holds its Presidential candidate caucuses at 10 a.m. March 26 statewide. The House District 31 caucus is held in Homer at the Kachemak Bay Campus. Voters must be registered members of the Democratic Party to participate. Alaskans not registered as Democrats can change their party affiliation or register to vote at the caucus. To help party officials plan for caucuses, voters are encouraged to preregister for the caucuses by visiting www.akdems.org or calling 907-258-3050. Democrats will elect delegates to the state convention in proportion to the votes each candidate receives. The state convention is May 13-15 in Anchorage. 

Anchor Point Senior Citizens

The Anchor Point Senior Center on Milo Fritz Road is open for winter hours 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 10 a.m.-noon Friday. The center serves Thursday night dinners starting at 5:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Bingo is at 6 p.m. with play starting at 7 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

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 with mashed potatoes; Friday, rockfish Milanese; Monday, chicken teriyaki; Tuesday, lasagna; Wednesday, veggie pad Thai; next Thursday, roast pork loin.

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.

Caregiver Support Group meets 2-3:30 p.m. the second and fourth Thursday in the senior center conference room. Call Jacquie Thaute at 299-2924 or Daniel Weisser at 235-4555.

The Kachemak Advocates of Recycling (KARe)

For recycling, plastic is the most complex material, is the hardest to deal with, has the fewest markets and is potentially the most damaging to the environment. 

What’s the problem with plastics?

• Plastics are the leading type of discarded material. There is too much of it. Estimates are that 90 percent of debris in the ocean is plastic.

• Plastic does not break down into other substances as it disintegrates — it just forms smaller and smaller particles of plastic.

• Plastic is a proven danger to aquatic (and other) life.

• Impact on the petroleum industry. Plastic is made from oil and the amount of oil needed just to make single-use water bottles for the United States is more than 45 million barrels. About 80 precent of those bottles are just thrown away. 

• With plastic, why can’t we can just throw it away? There is no “away.” Nearly every piece of plastic that we have ever made still exists today.

What can you do to reduce plastic in your life? Some plastic is, of course, necessary but you can eliminate a large amount from your life and recycle what you can.

• Avoid buying things that are plastic if there is an alternative.

• When necessary, look for #1 and #2 plastics which are recyclable here at our dump.

• Also recycle at the dump all plastic bags, stretch wrap and any flexible plastic (plastic that you can stretch).

• Avoid buying items with excessive plastic packaging.

• Be especially vigilant about the types of plastics for infants and young children.

• Question the use of micro plastics in any products.

• Don’t use plastic containers to microwave food.

• Use reusable bags for shopping and storage.

• Use durable, reusable water bottles. Don’t use single-use bottled water.

Kachemak Bay Campus

Registration for the following classes and workshops for community education, job training and recreation is now open. Beginning Spanish, Drawing, 6-Pack Boat License Preparation, Biology of Sharks, Polar Bears, Outboard Engine Repair, Creative Writing, Ceramics, Woodworking, Deck Handling Job training, Political Science, Introduction to Business, Yoga, Boat DC Electrical Basics, Tai Chi and more. Register at uaonline.alaska.edu. Check out most of the KBC opportunities at www.kpc.alaska.edu/files/resources/spring-2016-kbc-schedule.pdf. 

Miranda Weiss’s informal Writing Group begins 1 p.m. on Jan. 27. Beginning and Intermediate Tai Chi with Dean Sundmark begins Jan. 28. Kundalini Yoga with Anna Raupp begins at 6 p.m. Jan. 26. 

Photographer Joe Kashi holds an opening reception, “Promises of Spring,” from 5-6:30 p.m. Feb. 5 in the commons, Pioneer Hall.

Marilyn Nelson, a finalist for the National Book Award and winner of the Newbery and Coretta Scott King awards, does a public reading at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13 and a poetry workshop Feb. 13-14. She is the author or translator of 15 poetry books for adults and children and five chapbooks. In 2014 Nelson published a memoir, “How I Discovered Poetry.” In her workshop, students will create several poems using as prompts imagery, language and poetic techniques from Lao-Tzu, Rumi, San Juan de la Cruz, Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz, Emily Dickinson, Gary Snyder, Lucille Clifton, Naomi Shihab Nye, Joy Harjo, Pattianne Rogers and Jane Hirschfield. 

Pratt Museum

The museum gallery is closed for January. Business offices are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.