The following activities and events are scheduled in the coming weeks on the South Coast.

Talk aids parents with homework headaches

“Homework without Tears” will be held from 11 a.m. to noon on Wednesday at Hillcrest Elementary School, 1100 Maine St., North Bend.

The free class is for parents of kindergarten through eighth-grade students who would like to improve their children’s homework behaviors. That would include completing assignments, establishing routines and teaching communication skills.

Tom Hibbert, 25-year elementary school counselor and Toni Kirkeby, a Hillcrest school counselor, will lead the parent group and distribute informational materials for parents. For more information and to register, those interested can call Hillcrest Elementary at 756-8348.

Oil drilling topic for engineers’ meeting

The Southwest Oregon Chapter of the Professional Engineers of Oregon welcomes all active and retired engineers, and those who have an interest in engineering issues in the Bay Area, to the chapter’s next meeting.

The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Red Lion Hotel, 3131 N. Bayshore Drive, in Coos Bay. Dinner and scheduled presenters will follow. No-host dinner is available from the menu, but seating is limited. For more information and to inquire about reservations, those interested can call Ron Hoffine at 756-1510.

The speaker will be Ainslie Krans, a retired petroleum geologist. The presentation will describe the various functions of drilling and producing oil and natural gas, including rig structures and down-hole tools, drilling operations and control, well casing design, cementing and perforation and swabbing. Krans will discuss how reservoirs react to various production phases and how rock properties affect production.

MP foundation serving soup for fundraiser

 A soup luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Friday in Myrtle Point to benefit the Flora M. Laird Memorial Library.

The luncheon will be held at the Oregon State University Extension Service’s Ohlsen Baxter Building, 631 Alder St. The cost is by donation. The luncheons are fundraisers for the Myrtle Point library foundation building fund.

Group to perform oldies at Ocean Crest in CB

Belles & Beaus, a senior citizen singing group, will perform at 2 p.m. on Friday at the Ocean Crest Assisted Care Facility, 192 Norman Ave., Coos Bay.

The Belles and Beaus sing songs of the 1920s, ’30s, ’40s and ’50s.   

International karaoke contest starting in NB

North Bend Lanes will host the fourth-annual International Bowling Karaoke Contest.

The 12-week competition starts at 7 p.m. Saturday at the bowling alley, 1225 Virginia Ave.

Participating bowling centers host a local contest with a finals night to bring back all qualifiers. Winners of the finals competition advance to regional competition. Those winners advance to the international finals in Orlando, Fla. All finalists in Orlando receive cash prizes. Top winner receives $5,000 and the opportunity to record a CD.

Singers are judged on three elements: vocal ability, showmanship and song delivery.

In its fourth year, the contest has continued to grow in popularity and participation. More than 50,000 singers competed in more than 140 bowling centers across the United States and Canada during the 2007 contest. For more information, those interested can call Bob Nelson or Mark Mattecheck at 756-0571, or can visit http://www.thelightingstore.com.

Charleston church hosts gospel singer

Recording artist Nancy Joy Butler will give her first gospel concert in the Bay Area at 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 2, at the Charleston Community Church. 

The public is invited to hear this “gal with the velvet voice” as she presents her soft country sounding rendition of gospel songs, patriotic tunes, and other old-time favorites, a press release said.

Nancy Joy and her husband, Ed, recently moved here from Gig Harbor, Wash. They spent the last three years in their RV traveling the USA,  presenting concerts, visiting friends and loved ones and sightseeing.

For more information about Nancy Joy, those interested can visit http://www.NancyJoy.com.