The Cook Inlet Regional Citizens Advisory Council (CIRCAC) holds its board meeting at 9 a.m. Friday at Cook Inlet Aquaculture, 40610 Kalifornsky Beach Road, Kenai. The public is welcome to attend. For more information or an agenda, call 800-652-7222 or 907-283-7222. Board materials will be available online just prior to the meeting.
Friends of the Homer Public Library will have their Book and Plant Pre-Sale for members only from 6-8-p.m. Friday. Get the pick of the books and plants, join at the door. On Saturday, the book and plant sale will be from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. All proceeds benefit the Friends of the Homer Public Library.
The Kenai Peninsula Resource Conservation & Development District holds the fifth annual Kenai Peninsula Ag Forum from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. April 18 at the Kenai Peninsula Fairgrounds in Ninilchik. Current and future farm producers and the general public are invited. Presentations include peninsula wine and spirits, farming off the grid, building healthy soil, managing goats, ag education, updates on peonies, rhodiola, natural fiber and more. For agenda and ticket information, go to Kenai Peninsula Fair on Facebook and select “Events.” Tickets are $25 online and $30 at the door, lunch included. Vendor tables are available for $20. Contact Amy Seitz at 252-5064 for more information. Co-sponsors include Alaska Division of Agriculture, Kenai Peninsula Economic Development District, Kenai Peninsula Borough, Central Peninsula Garden Club, Kenai Soil & Water and Kenai Peninsula Farm Bureau.
One Lord Sunday is at 11 a.m. April 19 at the Homer High School gymnasium. A group of Homer churches will be celebrating together and everyone is welcome.
The Homer Parks and Recreation Advisory Commission sponsors a trails symposium, “Homer on the Move!,” from noon-4 p.m. April 18 in the Homer High School Commons. The symposium brings together user groups such as bicyclists, runners and parents with children for an afternoon of networking, sharing, promoting and planning for safe, accessible trails, sidewalks and roadways. Groups or people interested in participating are invited to join the discussion. Forms to participate are available on the city website at www.cityofhomer-ak.gov/recreation/trails-symposium-homer-move-saturday-april-18th or at the Community Recreation Office, Homer High School. For more information, call Deb Lowney at 299-0344 or email dlowney@acsalaska.net.
The Alaska Native Plant Society will meet at 7 p.m. April 21 at the Center for Alaska Coastal Studies. Janet Klein will speak on culturally modified trees.”
Celebrate Earth Day and come to see “Bag It” a one hour film about the effects of plastic in our life, our landfills and in our waterways and oceans, at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Homer Public Library meeting room (the first door to the right from the main entrance). Sponsored by The Kachemak Advocates of Recycling (KARe), “Bag It” won awards at film festivals in Monterey, Telluride, and Ashland. The film is both informative and entertaining and considers the question “Is your life too plastic? What can we do?” Everyone is invited. For more information, contact the Center for Alaskan Coastal Studies at 235-6741.
The Rotary Clubs of Homer Downtown and Homer Kachemak Bay will hold a free, two-hour suicide-prevention training program on April 22, for anybody in the community who wants to attend. The Alaska Suicide Prevention Training program will be offered from 6-8 p.m. April 22 at Faith Lutheran Church, located at the corner of the Soundview Avenue and the Sterling Highway. For more information, call Jan O’Meara at 399-1226 or Milli Martin at 235-6652.
Poster and songwriting contests are being held on the theme of promoting resiliency. The deadline for the poster contest is 5 p.m. April 24 and for the songwriting contest is 7 p.m. April 25. Sponsored by the Homer Prevention Project, in the contests, resiliency is defined as “the ability to overcome challenges of all kinds — trauma, tragedy, personal crises and life problems — and bounce back stronger, wiser and more personally powerful.” Artists or songwriters are invited to create a poster or song that illustrates coping skills when feeling overwhelmed, names at least five different resiliency factors and coping skills for tough times, and identifies at least three different ways to promote resiliency. Prizes will be awarded in the categories of elementary, middle school, high school and adult. Pick up entry forms at school offices or the Homer Prevention Project, 1230 Ocean Drive. Works should be labeled with creator’s name, address, email, phone number and age group. Drop off poster entries at the Homer Prevention Project office and song entries at the Homer Council on the Arts.
The 10th annual Homer Recycling event will be from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. April 25 at Spenard Builders Supply. The event is sponsored by Cook Inletkeeper. The types of electronics that can be recycled include: computers (CPUs); monitors (CRT or LCD); laptops; printers; servers, routers and hubs; televisions; VCRs and DVD players; stereos and audio components; cameras — video and digital; iPhone, iTouch and iPad devices; copiers, scanners and fax machines; cell phones and telephones; electronic scales; PDAs; alarm clocks; handheld games; communications equipment; other miscellaneous office machines and batteries. New this year is most recycling is free. For households there is free e-cycling of everything except computer monitors ($15), LCD TVs ($15), and CRT TVs ($15-$35, depending on size).
For businesses, government agencies, nonprofits, and tribes, there is free e-cycling of everything except TVs and computer monitors, which are 30 cents per pound. There is a suggested $10 donation to Cook Inletkeeper to offset costs.
For more information, or to schedule a drop-off time (businesses and nonprofits), leave a message for Dorothy at 235-4068, ext. 34 or dorothy@inletkeeper.org. Also, check out the website at http://inletkeeper.org/clean-water/electronics-recycling for more information about Cook Inletkeeper’s electronics recycling program.
Burn permits are required year round inside Homer city limits and can be picked up at the Homer Volunteer Fire Department during normal business hours, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Burn permits are required from April 1-Sept. 1 anywhere outside Homer city limits of Homer and can be acquired by the Alaska Divisioin of Forestry at www.forestry.alaska.gov/burn.
Anchor Point Alcoholics Anonymous offers meetings at 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays and at 2 p.m. Sundays above the Anchor River Inn Store. For more information, call 299-3317.
The Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival seeks volunteers to help with registration during the event from 8 a.m.-7 p.m., May 6-9. Gratitude, snacks and a fun work environment provided. Please call Robbi at 235-7740 or email shorebird@homeralaska.org
Sandhill cranes will begin arriving soon. Please report sandhill crane sightings to Kachemak Crane Watch at 235-6262 or reports@cranewatch.org. The date, time, location and number of cranes seen is helpful. Leave a name and number in case more details are needed.
Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST)
The Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team, or COASST, will deliver a free training session from noon-5 p.m. May 2 at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center.
To reserve a spot, call COASST at 206-221-6893 or email coasst@uw.edu. The website is www.coasst.org.
COASST volunteers help make a difference for the environment by collecting data on beach-cast carcasses of marine birds on a monthly basis to establish the baseline pattern of beached bird mortality on North Pacific beaches. Data collected helps address important marine conservation issues and protect marine resources.
Through an interactive, hands-on workshop, trainees will become acquainted with the custom COASST field guide, “Beached Birds,” and have a chance to try out their newly acquired identification skills on seabird species common to the North Pacific. The COASST training provides volunteers with the tools to monitor for potential changes in the marine environment and promote stewardship of local marine resources.
COASST is a citizen science project of the University of Washington in partnership with state, tribal and federal agencies; environmental organizations and community groups.
Friendship Center
Friendship Center Adult Day Services is open between the hours of 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, almondine trout; Monday, chicken cordon bleu; Tuesday, barbecue beef brisket; Wednesday, chicken parmesan; next Thursday, roast turkey 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 members, $6 nonmembers.
Duplicate Bridge meets at 1 p.m. Thursdays. Tai Chi classes are Thursday 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
Upcoming spring and summer classes include Garden Design with Brenda Adams, April 18 and 25; Culinary Arts: Extraordinary Brunches with Kirsten Dixon, April 18 and 25; Culinary Arts: Desserts with Kirsten Dixon, May 2; Boating Safety/NASBLA with Capt. Chris Lopez, May 2-3; and Landscape Painting with Asia Freeman, May 18-19, June 8-9, July 3-14 and Aug. 3-4.
To earn your GED or improve basic reading, writing and math skills, call 235-1606.
Upcoming events are closing photography exhibit and discussion by Joe Kashi on “Light Photography Techniques” at 5:30 p.m. Friday; public lecture with psychology professor Brian Partridge and others, “Heroin Hits Homer: The Science of Heroin,” at 6 p.m. April 20; opening reception of student art showcase from 5-6:30 p.m. April 24,
Pratt Museum
Gallery hours are noon-5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Business offices are open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Faith Revell’s exhibit, “Bird Dance,” is now on exhibit. The annual Jubilee student art showcase is on exhibit in the lower museum gallery.
Safe & Healthy Kids Fair
The Annual Safe & Healthy Kids Fair will be Saturday, April 25, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Homer High School. This free event for kids 14 years and younger includes: Bike Safety Rodeo from 10 a.m.-noon; loads of demonstrations and hands-on activities to promote safety and wellness; water safety activities in the pool and more. Awesome door prizes will be given away by local donors all through the event, and plenty of activities will be happening. There will be lots of sign ups for summertime activities as well. For more info, go to www.sphosp.org or call Haven House at 235-7712.
SVT Health & Wellness
SVT Health & Wellness offers classes covering all aspects of wellness every Thursday at 6 p.m. Today’s class is “Mindfulness to Ease Stress and Improve Health, Part 1,” with Skywalker Payne. Learn about how mindfulness can help control stress, manage pain and improve recovery from disease.
