The Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve sponsors a recap of the 2015 harmful algal blooms in Kachemak Bay and Pseudo-nitszchia on the West Coast from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. today at the Kachemak Bay Campus, Room P103. In the morning scientists will discuss harmful algal bloom science, response processes and testing timelines. In the afternoon, participants will discuss improvements to rapid shellfish testing (with a demonstration), update the response actions and contacts, and establish effective communication tools for 2016. To attend by call-in and webstream, respond to www.surveymonkey.com/r/HAB_Response2016.

The Kachemak Emergency Service Area Board holds a budget workshop at 6 p.m. today with a regular meeting afterwards.  The meeting is at the McNeil Canyon Fire Station, 53048 Ashwood Ave. (Mile 12 East End Road).  The public is welcome to attend.

St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, 619 Sterling Highway, holds Saturday group meditation walks in the church labyrinth during Lent. A short Compline evening prayer service follows about a half-hour after the walk. The walks are weather permitting. Please wear appropriate outdoor clothing and foot gear. Walks are held between sunset and dark, so start times vary. Approximate start times are 6:30 p.m. Feb. 27 and March 5, 7 p.m. March 12, 8 p.m. March 19 and 8:30 p.m. March 26.

The Kachemak Bay Birders’ next meeting is at 4:30 p.m. Monday at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center auditorium. Following the meeting there will be a presentation by Mossy Kilcher, “Ways to Encourage and Protect Songbirds in Your Yard.” Kilcher’s Seaside Farms on East End Road is one of Homer’s best hot spots for birding. Come and find out what she does to attract so many birds to her yard using native habitat.  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 lani67@alaska.net.

The Homer Fish & Game Advisory Committee meets 6 p.m. March 8 at the NERRS building on Kachemak Drive. The agenda is mainly to prepare Board of Fisheries Cook Inlet proposals, and any other business that may properly come before the committee. For more information, contact Dave Lyon at 399-2340.

The Anchor Point Fire &  Emergency Medical Service Area Board holds its board meeting at 6:30 p.m. March 16  at the Anchor Point Fire Station, 72440 Milo Fritz Ave. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend. For more information, call 235-6700. 

The Homer Legislative Information Office, located at 270 W Pioneer Ave., is open to keep citizens informed and involved on issues facing the Alaska Legislature. Various hearings are being held, and public testimony sought, on instituting a state income tax and restructuring the Alaska Permanent Fund. A variety of tax increases and other nonrevenue issues also are being discussed. To learn more or keep up to date on any of these issues,  contact the LIO at 235-7878.

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 beef with mashed potatoes and gravy; Friday, shrimp scampi; Monday, plum glazed Cornish game hens; Tuesday, spaghetti and meatballs; Wednesday, Cuban pork; next Thursday, roast turkey and mashed potatoes.

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.

Kachemak Bay Campus

Registration for the following classes and workshops for community education, job training and recreation is now open. Upcoming classes include Birds of Kachemak Bay (starting March 2), Cyanotype Printmaking (starting March 5), Polar Bears (starting March 28), MS Excel, Deck Handling Job Training, How To Handle a Skiff and more. Register in advance at uaonline.alaska.edu. Check out most of the KBC opportunities at www.kpc.alaska.edu/files/resources/spring-2016-kbc-schedule.pdf. 

OSHA Standards for Maritime Industry is Feb. 29-March 4. Register at ww.osha.washington.edu.

The Kenai Peninsula College Council meets at 6 p.m. March 10 at Pioneer Hall.

Pratt Museum

Business offices are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. The museum gallery is open noon-5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, closed Sundays and Mondays. Admission is free in February.

“Living Alaska: A Decade of Collecting Contemporary Arts for Alaska Museums” opens with a reception from 5-7 p.m. Friday. Curated by Sven Haakanson Jr., the exhibit opened Nov. 6 at the Anchorage Museum and features works collected by Alaska museums through the Rasmuson Foundation Art Acquisition Fund. The Pratt exhibit features additional works from its collection purchased through the Rasmuson program.

South Peninsula Hospital

South Peninsula Hospital offers a Safe Sitter class 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on March 17 and 18. The class is designed for 11-14 year olds to teach basic child care, infant and child CPR, first aid, safety for the sitter, behavior management and business etiquette. Students should bring their own lunch. Registration is required. The cost is $70 per person, but scholarships are available based on need. Space is limited. For more information and to register,  call the hospital’s education department at 235-0258.

SVT Health and Wellness and South Peninsula Hospital are teaming up to offer “Living Well Alaska,” a chronic-disease self-management class. Developed by Stanford University, this six-week group workshop is for people dealing with ongoing health conditions or the family members who support them. People with all kinds of long term conditions such as arthritis, asthma, diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses can benefit. It offers fun with others while you practice skills to live life to the fullest and meet day-to-day challenges. At a Living Well Alaska workshop, you will learn the skills to solve problems that prevent you from doing what you want to do; set goals; understand and handle symptoms; eat well and be active; deal with difficult emotions, and collaborate with your health care team. The workshop runs weekly from 4:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, March 16, 23, 30 and April 6, 13, 20. The cost is only $10 for the entire six-week series. Registration is required.  For more information and to register, call 235-0285.