Girls on the Run began Feb. 11 and will be held from 3-4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays at West Homer Elementary School. This is a club that inspires girls to be joyful, healthy and confident using fun, experience-based curriculum that integrates running. Registration is $100 and is available at GOTRGreaterAlaska.org. Half and full scholarships are available. For more information, contact South Peninsula Haven House at 907-235-7712.
South Kenai Peninsula Hospital Service Area Board is an elected board that “oversees our tax dollars for a healthier community.” The board will hold its regular monthly board meeting at 6:30 p.m. tonight, Thursday, at South Peninsula Hospital, conference rooms 1 and 2. The SKPHSAB meets monthly on the second Thursday of the month.
Kachemak Emergency Service Area Board will be holding a budget workshop meeting at 6 p.m. tonight, Thursday, with its regular monthly board meeting following. The meeting will be held at the McNeil Canyon Fire Station, 53048 Ashwood Ave. (Mile 12 East End Road). The public is welcome to attend. You can call the station at 235-9811 for more information.
The Anchor Point Fire & Emergency Medical Service Area Board will hold its next board meeting at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 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
Kachemak Bay State Parks is currently recruiting for members for the Kachemak Bay State Parks Citizens Advisory Board. This advisory board provides Alaska State Parks with recommendations and input on management issues in Kachemak Bay State Park, Eveline State Recreation Site and Diamond Creek State Recreation Area. Board members meet the second Wednesday of the month September through May from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center in Homer. If you are interested in applying for this advisory board please fill out an application at http://dnr.alaska.gov/parks/misc/boards.htm under State Park Advisory Boards. Please mail or e-mail your application to Alaska State Parks, 95 Sterling Highway, Homer AK, 99603. Applications are due by March 31, 2020. For more information please contact the Southern District Ranger Jason Okuly at 435-7595 or Jason.Okuly@alaska.gov
The Kenai Peninsula Borough Homer Annex has moved to its new location at 638 East Pioneer Ave. in the Homer Borough Maintenance building east of the Homer Volunteer Fire Department. The annex door is to the right of the double garage doors. For more information call 235-9837.
Kenai Peninsula Votes tidbit:
The first election in Alaska for 2020 will be like no other election ever held in our great state. The Democratic Party will hold the first of four different elections in 2020 on Saturday, April 4. This is a primary election which will determine the Democratic presidential candidate to represent Alaska in the Democratic Convention July 13-16, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This Primary will use the Ranked-Choice Voting method. Your ballot will have the list of the Democratic Presidential nominees and you will rank your top three candidates. You will select your top choice, second choice and finally third choice.
Ranked-choice voting is gaining momentum as a way to vote. If you want to learn more, you can Google “Ranked-Choice Voting” where you will find numerous short videos to teach you the basics of this system of voting.
If you do not belong to the Democratic Party, you will not be eligible to vote in this election. The rules of switching political affiliation in Alaska are not difficult. As long as you send your change of affiliation into the Division of Elections 30 days before the next election you are good to go. The Republican Party of Alaska will not be holding a primary as they have already selected President Donald Trump to represent their party.
Remember when you vote, you are involved in giving voice to how you feel.
Ultimate Frisbee group meets from 7-9 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays at the SPARC. Contact: Sunny at 441-0314.
Kenai Peninsula Borough Solid Waste facilities will be closed on Sundays for the winter through April 26, 2020. For more information contact the KPB Solid Waste Department at 907-262-9667. Due to a change in its recycle market, Kenai Peninsula Borough Solid Waste facilities will no longer accept D grade plastic film, including plastic shopping bags. Also, they are only accepting #1 PETE beverage bottles with twist tops for recycling.
Anchor Point Senior Citizens
The Anchor Point Senior Center on Milo Fritz Avenue, is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m. to noon Friday.
The center serves Thursday night dinners starting at 5 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 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Exercise sessions are at 10 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays. For information, call 235-7786.
Friendship Center
Friendship Center Adult Day Services is open 9 a.m. to 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 Robbie Fuller at 235-4555.
Homer Senior Citizens lunch is open to seniors and guests and is served noon-1:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. Lunch costs $7 for seniors age 60 and older, and $15 for those under 60. The lunch menu for this week is: today, baked ham; Friday, salmon; Monday, closed for President’s Day; Tuesday, chicken parmesan; Wednesday, meatloaf; and next Thursday, turkey.
Strong Women classes are 1:30-2:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday at the Homer Senior Center.
Zumba Gold classes with Maria are 11 a.m.-noon Tuesdays and 1:30-2:30 p.m. Thursdays at the Homer Senior Center.
Tai chi classes are Thursdays at 3 p.m.
Duplicate Bridge meets at 1 p.m. Thursdays. Call Robbie Fuller at 235-4555. Duplicate Bridge is $3 for members and $5 for non-members.
Strong Women, Zumba and Tai Chi are $5 for members and $7 for non-members.
Hospice of Homer
Widow’s Support Group meets every Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at Hospice of Homer. The group is for women who have lost a spouse or a family member, or partner and seek support from practical matters like insurance to emotional support. For more information, call Marsha Graham at 235-5925 or Marcia Lowe at 435-0403.
Living with Loss, a weekly walk-in conversation about loss and bereavement, is on Tuesdays from noon to 1 p.m.
Kachemak Bay Campus
Free Adult Education Drop in Classes are available at Bayview Hall of Kachemak Bay Campus on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 5-6:30 p.m. Work towards a GED (high school equivalency), improve English reading and writing skills, or prepare for citizenship. Classes are free. Call 235-1606 for more information.
Weekly Tibetan Buddhist Meditation with Chökyi Ösel Rinpoche/Ellen Chambers takes place at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesdays in room P219 of Pioneer Hall. These free classes will include meditation instruction, 20 minutes of sitting meditation, and a short teaching followed by discussion and questions.
Great Decisions Discussion Group will be held from 4:30-6 p.m. in room P219 of Pioneer Hall at Kachemak Bay Campus every second Thursday of the month. Do you wish you knew more about world affairs? Do you want to have a voice in policy decisions made by our leaders? Join monthly facilitated discussions based on one chapter of the Foreign Policy Association 2020 Great Decisions Briefing Book. This free, non-partisan event is hosted by Elise Boyer and Kat Haber. Questions? Call Elise at 435.7025.
This Thursday at 6:45 in Pioneer Hall, The KBC Student Association will host a watch party at 6:45 p.m. today, Thursday, of the live stream of Paul Hawken’s lecture at the Anchorage Museum in support of Project Drawdown as part of UAA’s Difficult Dialogues Alaska Books of the Year program. Project Drawdown is the most comprehensive plan ever proposed to reverse global warming (see https://www.drawdown.org). The Student Association will provide popcorn. KBC will also host the first in a series of Drawdown Community Brainstorms to develop projects here in Homer on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 6 p.m. in partnership with Cook Inletkeeper.
Second Sunday Shakespeare “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will be held from 1-4 p.m. on Feb. 9 in the Pioneer Hall Commons. Do you love Shakespeare? Second Sunday Shakespeare is a free, monthly event open to anyone who wants to read the Bard’s works or simply listen. No experience necessary, we provide the books and beverages. Co-sponsored by KBC and Pier One Theatre. Call 235-7743 for information.
Public Square, Sonic Storytelling with Dr. Michael Castellini takes place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 19. Dr. Castellini will be telling stories and sharing audio recordings of marine mammals both above and below the water, under sea-ice and on their rookeries. This is the 50th anniversary of “Sounds of the Humpback Whales” by Roger Payne (released on vinyl LP) and he will share musical pieces that have been created using marine mammal sounds.
MS Excel (PC) Basics will be taught Feb. 22 and Feb. 29 from noon to 2 p.m. Learn the fundamentals of using Excel. Includes basic commands, functions, charts, graphs, formulas, worksheets, shortcuts and more. Early registration costs $65. Visit https://kbcnoncredit.asapconnected.com/ or call 235-7743.
Daily Painting with Asia Freeman will be held from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays on Feb. 22, March 28 and April 25. Discipline your studio practice with small, daily paintings. This one-credit class is for intermediate painters who seek critical and technical support for consistent, improved results in painting. Register online at uaonline.alaska.edu or visit Pioneer Hall. Call 235-7743 for more information.
Alaska Islands and Oceans Visitor Center
The Alaska Islands & Ocean Visitor Center is open Tuesday-Saturday from noon to 5 p.m.
Join the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge team from 1-4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14 at the Wynn Nature Center for the Wynn-ter Family Outdoor Day. This event is free.
Join the monthly Friends of Alaska National Wildlife Refuges meeting from 5-6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18 where photographer extraordinaire and Refuges’ Communication Coordinator Lisa Hupp, will bring you along on assignment from a photographer’s perspective through her photos.
South Peninsula Hospital
Long time resident Beth Wythe was appointed in December to the South Peninsula Hospital Inc. Board of Directors. Wythe served 12 years on the Homer City Council and four years as Homer Mayor. She holds a master’s degree in public administration and has worked in the human resources field for more than 30-years. She currently is the human resources and administrative services manager at Homer Electric Association. Wythe fills a seat vacated by Lane Chesley, who served for the last three years as Treasurer and chair of the Finance Committee.
Tom Clark and Walter Partridge were re-appointed to the board at the same meeting. Their three-year reappointments are through 2022, as is Wythe’s appointment.
Dr. Christopher Landess, board certified in family medicine and Medical Director of the hospital’s emergency department, is the newly elected Chief of Medical Staff, replacing Dr. Giulia Tortora.
Wythe began her term of service at the January board meeting, at which time officers were elected for the coming year. Thomas Clark was elected President; Walter Partridge Vice President, Melissa Jacobsen Secretary, and Matthew Hambrick Treasurer.
The board of directors meets every fourth Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. in the hospital’s conference room. The next meeting is Wednesday, Feb. 26t and the meetings are open to the public. Check the calendar on the hospital’s website at sphosp.org for regular updates.
