This weekend

Blues Rhythm

Wanda’s Food & Beverage House, 740 KoosBay Blvd., Coos Bay, features musical groups throughout the month. The Hot Tamales, a group of female musicians, will perform 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday. The Bob Alexander Band, backed by Corbett and Beckstrom, will play bluesy tunes 9 p.m. to 1 a.m.  Friday and Saturday, Aug. 1- 2. There is no cover charge.

For more information, call Wanda’s, 267-6293.

Tuesday

One last meeting

The wrap-up meeting for Christmas in July 2008 will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Church of God, 2191 Birch Ave., Reedsport.

The committee is requesting that all interested parties attend with observations and suggestions for the 2009 program.

For more information, call Allen Chaney at (541) 271-3928 or Bill Otis at (541)271-3852, or visit http://reedsportonline.com  or http://cij.weebly.com.

Native poets

South Coast poets John Noland, Gary Lark, and Robert “Gray” Jones will give a free, public reading of their poems at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the North Bend Public Library, 1800 Sherman Ave. These poets have published widely in the Pacific Northwest, and in literary publications from around the U.S.

John Noland of Coos Bay was a longtime instructor of creative  writing at Southwestern Oregon Community College and adviser to its arts magazine. He won chapbook publication from Kalupi Press, for “This Dark Land Where I Live.”

Noland’s poems and essays have been published by Chicago Review, Orion and American Nature Writing (Oregon State University Press).

Gary Lark has worked as a librarian, carpenter, janitor, salesman and hospital aide. He was born in Roseburg and raised on the banks of the Umpqua River.  His books include “Men at the Gates,” “Eels and Fishes,” plus two collections he edited:  “Luckiamute I and II.”  

His writings have been published widely, in such publications as North American Review, Story Quarterly, Fireweed, Mississippi Mud, Blue Unicorn and others.

Robert “Gray” Jones grew up by the sand dunes near Lakeside, in a  logging and longshoring family. While at Southwestern, he edited “The  Beacon,” and he became a long distance runner. During the summers, he worked as a member of the Hot Shots, an elite fire fighting crew.

He received his bachelor of arts from Lewis and Clark College and his master of arts in creative writing from Brown University. For the past eight years he’s taught in Vienna, Austria, where  he lives with his wife and children. They return to the South Coast to spend summers in Lakeside.

This program is free, open to the public and sponsored by the Friends of the North Bend Public Library.

Wednesday

Fun in the sand

The Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce will present DuneFest 2008 from Wednesday to Sunday, Aug. 3. Events include Moto Cross and Grand Prix racing, sand drags, poker runs, a treasure hunt, adult and kid activities, drive-in movie night, and freestyle shows Friday and Saturday night will host Rock The Dunes.

Vendor Row will offer all-terrain vehicle-related clothing clothing, crafts and accessories. It will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, with food vendors staying open later.  Vendor Row will close at noon Sunday.

DuneFest 2008 is offering a kid’s safe ATV riding area, non-ethanol gasoline, premium fuel 92 octane, free shuttle bus service from Winchester Bay. The event will introduce Winchester Bay as an ATV Friendly City during DuneFest. Participants should obey the rules and regulations.

 Facilities are under a special use permit with the Siuslaw National Forest and Douglas County Parks.

For more information call the Reedsport/Winchester Bay Chamber of Commerce at (800) 247-2155 or visit http://www.dunefest.com.

Caregiver support

A caregiver-support group will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday at South Coast Hospice and Palliative Care Services Beareavement and Education Center, 1620 Thompson Road, Coos Bay.

The meetings are a chance for caregivers to share their experiences. A small portion of the meetings will include videos, guest speakers and practical tips. Meetings are held on the last Wednesday of each month.

Bugs and books

Tracy Martz, from the Coos County Oregon State University Extension Office 4-H School Enrichment program, will present “Bugs Pierce, Suck and Chew” at the final Summer Reading Program, at 1 p.m., Wednesday at the Flora M. Laird Memorial Library, 435 Fifth St., Myrtle Point. With books, crafts, and activities, children can explore the world of insect anatomy and learn how bugs obtain food.

The 2008 Summer Reading Program is open to young people, preschool through young adult, with programs, story times, crafts, and reading recognition.

Programs for preschool children are held from 10:30 to 11a.m.  Wednesdays.

School-aged youth are invited to come to the library from 1  to 2 p.m.  Wednesday.

Included in the library’s program is the Oregon Summer Reading Certificate. Children who read or listen to 10 books will earn a certificate in a statewide reading incentive program sponsored by the Oregon Department of Education, Oregon State Library, Oregon Library Association and the Oregon Education Association.

 Pre-registration for the summer reading program is not required.

Video voyage

The Video Voyage for July will be the second part of “Austria and Britain” with Rick Steves. It will start at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the North Bend Public Library, 1800 Sherman Ave.

The free program is sponsored by the Friends of the Library. For more information, call 756-0400.

Upcoming

Girl’s night out

Bandon/Port Orford’s Women’s Connection “Girl’s Night Out” will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Monday, Aug. 4, at the VFW Building, 55382 Bates Road, Bandon.

There will be dinner, fun, chocolates, door prizes, networking and a fashion forecast event. The event costs  $10 ($5 for young mothers and girls under 18).  The evening is sponosored by Stonecroft Ministries.

The Black Horse Boutique will be the featured vendor.  

Fayemarie Miller from Clatskanie will be the speaker.  This former “Go-Go” dancer who became a mother at 15 tells about an amazing transformation that took place as the fear that once ruled her life and choices were replaced by confidence and joy, a press release said.

 Reservations are needed by Wednesday. RSVP to Sandi at 347-4134, or Rosalee at 332-5133 or e-mail cobledrcoble@briskweb.net.  Group reservations are available.

MHS reunion

The Marshfield High School Class of 1958 will hold a 50th reunion Friday and Saturday, Aug. 1-2. For more information, those interested can call Kay at 267-6174.

Island studies

Dr. Don Croll, with the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz, will give a free public lecture on “Islands as models and opportunities for study: what we have learned about population declines, trophic interactions, and conservation.”  

The event will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology Boathouse Auditorium in Charleston.

Croll’s research focuses on the most important threat to seabird populations and island ecosystems worldwide: the introduction of non-native species such as cats, rats, pigs, goats, sheep, foxes, etc, a press release said. This research examines the changes that result from the introduction of non-native species to islands and seeks to understand, develop, and improve methods for the restoration of island ecosystems.  

People who plan to attend are asked to park on Boat Basin Road and walk down to the Boathouse.

Warbirds

World War II warplanes and other old planes will land in Lakeside starting around 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 2. They will land on the grass field behind Hennick’s Hardware.

Spectators will be able to watch them take off and land as well as walk around the plans and talk to their pilots.

The Lakeside Lions Club will serve hot dogs and hamburgers and sodas. Each pilot will offer rides at a cost.

Raffle tickets to win a new PT Cruiser will be available at the field.

Garden class

South Coast Community Garden Association and the Coos County Master Gardeners will host  a free program Saturday, Aug. 2, in downtown Coos Bay on fall and winter gardening.

The class will be held from 10 a.m. to noon at the Lady Bug Landing Community Garden, at the corner of Eighth Street and Anderson Avenue. There will be a small plant sale of winter vegetables, too.  For more information, call 269-7468.

 On Wednesday, Sept. 10, Chef Jardin will serve a Harvest Fundraiser Lunch with fresh produce from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lady Bug Landing.

The cost is $5 for lunch and $1 for dessert. This is a fundraiser to support the Garden Association and Lady Bug Landing.

For more information, call Renee Blom at 269-7468.