The District 30 Democrats meet at 5:30 p.m. today at the Homer Real Estate Office, 1529 Ocean Drive. For more information, call Liz Diament at 914-588-0332.
The Homer Winter Carnival Committee is seeking volunteers for a variety of jobs. It also is seeking more Mr. Homer contestants. The winter carnival is Feb. 6-9. For more information, call Terry Reed, volunteer coordinator, at 235-6699.
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources is revising its Kachemak Bay State Park and Kachemak Bay State Wilderness Park Management Plan. The public is encouraged to complete the Recreational, Use, Facilities and Access Questionnaire to help the planning team get a feel for how the park is being used. The deadline for submitting the questionnaire is today. To view the existing park plan, fill out the questionnaire and learn more about the process, visit dnr.alaska.gov/parks/plans/kbay/kbayplan.htm.
The next Kachemak Bay Birders’ trip is 1 p.m. Saturday. It will be “Leader’s Choice,” which might be going to the Anchor River or out on the Spit depending on weather and other conditions at the time. Meet at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center parking lot at 1 p.m. to car pool. All trips are cosponsored by the Kachemak Bay Birders and the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge. There is no charge and everyone is welcome. Bring binoculars and a scope if you have one.
SPARC, the South Peninsula Amateur Radio Club, is reforming. Current ham radio operators or those interested in getting amateur radio licenses are invited to attend meetings. Starting on Saturday, and continuing on the first and third Saturday of the month, from 10 a.m.-noon in the Homer Public Library Conference Room, in association with the Friends of the Homer Public Library, classes will be held for people wanting to learn more about amateur radio operation. Amateur radio (also called ham radio) is the use of designated radio frequency spectra for purposes of private recreation, noncommercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training and emergency communication. Class participants will be eligible to be tested for their amateur radio license at the end of the class, likely the end of May. Come to the first information session at 10 a.m. Feb. 1 to learn more.
The Homer Foundation announces that application forms for the 2014 City of Homer Grants Program are now available. The grants program is funded through an annual allocation from the city of Homer in addition to the earnings from the city of Homer Fund and the Kachemak City Fund at the Homer Foundation. The intent of the City of Homer Grants Program is to support locally based non-profit organizations that provide services within the city of Homer. The applicants must be IRS 501(c)(3) tax exempt organizations, in existence in Homer a minimum of three years, with their primary facility and core programs, activities and services offered within the Homer city limits. The organization must be administered locally with a local policy-making board of directors. The organization may have no other financial or in-kind support from the city of Homer. The funding is for general operating support. This is a competitive grants process. Application forms are available online at www.homerfund.org or from the Homer Foundation office. For more information, contact Joy at 235-0541.
South Peninsula Haven House seeks nominations for its eighth annual Women of Distinction awards. Nominations are sought for the categories of woman of distinction, young woman of distinction and elder woman of distinction. To nominate, contact Haven House at 235-7712 or visit its offices at 3776 Lake St. The deadline is Feb. 10. The Women of Distinction awards celebration is at 5:30 p.m. March 21.
The public is invited to the kick-off for Relay for Life of Homer 2014 from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at K-Bay Caffe on Pioneer Avenue. This free event is a chance to learn about Relay, sign up your team, register for the event and connect with others in the battle against cancer. No commitment is required to attend this fun, informational gathering. Door prizes and tasty treats will be provided. For more information, contact Michelle Geagel at 399-1359 or Michelle Drake at 399-5262 or visit relayforlifeofhomer.org.
A legislative teleconference with Kenai Peninsula senators and representatives is from 6 to 7 p.m. Feb. 6 at the Homer Legislative Information Office. This is an open discussion with legislators. Attending are Sen. Peter Micciche, R-Soldotna, Sen. Cathy Giessel, R-Anchorage, Speaker of the House Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, Rep. Paul Seaton, R-Homer, and Rep. Kurt Olson, R-Soldotna.
Cooperative Extension Service
Despite the snow and cold, many of Alaska’s rodents don’t take a nap in the winter. Instead they enter cabins, greenhouses, garages and homes looking for food and shelter. Your local Cooperative Extension Service has a free publication titled “So You Have Mice — Now What?” This helpful guide provides rodent identification and life cycle information in addition to exclusion tips and removal ideas.
Your local Cooperative Extension Service is your year round resource for a variety of topics. Visit it at www.uaf.edu/ces/districts/kenai/ to find these publications and more, or stop by in person at the Doors and Windows Building, 43961 Kalifornksy Beach Road, Soldotna, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Friendship Center
Friendship Center Adult Day Services is open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday with extended hours for special situations. Special programs are offered daily, including story time, crafts and musical performances. For more information, call 235-4556.
Homer Senior Citizens
Homer Senior Citizens lunch is open to seniors and guests and is served 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday-Friday. The lunch menu for this week is: today, roast beef; Friday, shrimp scampi; Monday, baked ham; Tuesday, Salisbury steak; Wednesday, zesty Cuban pork.
Strong Women classes are 2-3 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 members, $6 nonmembers.
Tai Chi classes are Thursday at 3 p.m. The cost per class is $3 members and $6 nonmembers. Call Daniel at 235-7655.
Caregiver Support Group meets 2-3:30 p.m. every other Thursday in the senior center dining room. For this week, Seldovia Village Tribe presents “Programs available for Elder Care.” Call Pam Hooker at 299-7198 or Mary Jo Gates at 235-7655.
The AARP Foundation offers free tax assistance and preparation for taxpayers with low to moderate income through the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program. Tax assistance is offered 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays by appointment only at the Homer Senior Center. For an appointment, call 235-7655. Individuals also can visit www.aarp.org/findtaxhelp or call 1-888-AARPNOW (1-888-227-7669).
Kachemak Bay Campus
The winter/spring semester has started. Registration is now going on for these upcoming five-week classes: Scuba Diving, Yoga, Bears of the Kenai Peninsula and Film Studies. Register as soon as possible as space may be limited. Call 234-7743 for more information.
At 6:30 p.m. Friday is a public reading and book signing by Anchorage writer Sherry Simpson featuring her new book, “Dominion of Bears.”
At 6:30 p.m. Feb. 18, anthropology professor Cathy Knott presents “Reporting from the Ends of the Earth: Trading GNP for Gross National Happiness….or How to Find Sustainability in the Anthropocene.”
From Feb. 21 to 23, visiting poet Sean Hill holds a poetry workshop. Registration is now open. He also does a public reading on Feb. 22.
Pratt Museum
The museum galleries are closed all of the month of January. Business offices are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
From 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday is the museum’s annual membership meeting.
The galleries reopen Saturday with a new special exhibit, “The Living Tertiary.” A First Friday opening reception is 5-7 p.m. Feb. 7. Curated by Homer geophysicist Geoff Coble, “The Living Tertiary” compares fossil remains beneath our feet to very similar contemporary plants nearby and around the world. This comparison of the present to 7 million years ago examines geologic processes, paleontology, and climate change.
R.E.C. Room
The REC Room (a Youth Resource and Enrichment Co-Op) offers activities for this school year. Free programs include instruction on software installation and customization, digital music production, fresh and organic cooking, gardening and slam poetry. The REC Room provides teens ages 12-18 with a safe space to hang out after school and connect with positive resources, activities and programs available in our community. It offers computers and Wi-Fi for homework, guitars, XBox Kinect, games, darts, rave gloves, movies, art supplies and more.
A program of Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic, the REC Room is always staffed by a program manager. Homer Middle School students can now ride Bus 65 for drop off at the REC Room. Call for details. Hours are 3 p.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 3957 Nielsen Circle, off Ben Walters Lane. For more information, call 235-6736, e-mail recroom@kbfpc.org or visit facebook.com/rec.room7 or HomerRECroom.org.
Seldovia Village Tribe Health & Wellness Center
The next SVT Health & Wellness Center class is at 6 p.m. Feb. 13, “Handmade Valentine Gifts,” with Hillery Daily, naturopathic doctor. Learn how to make healthy, homemade gifts such as a whipped body butter, aromatherapy scented massage oil and a brown-sugar face and body scrub. A donation of $5 for supplies is appreciated.
From 11 a.m.-5 p.m. today, the SVT Health & Wellness Center and the Drug Enforcement Administration offer the public an opportunity to rid their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted prescription drugs. Medications can be brought to the SVT Health & Wellness facility at 880 East End Road.
“This initiative addresses an important safety and public health issue,” SVT Health & Wellness’ Public Relations Director Ian McGaughey said. “Medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse and abuse.”
