SPOKANE calendar

Today

Railroad History on Bikes – Presented by the Friends of Turnbull, beginning at the Turnbull Wildlife Refuge, Cheney. Charles Mutscher, Ph.D., Eastern Washington train historian, will lead a tour of the former rail line, which is now the Columbia Plateau Trail State Park, and will present a history on trains in Eastern Washington. Over four miles of the trail covers the north end of the refuge. Class size is limited; call 235-6448 to make reservations.

Parking Lot Sale – Sinto Senior Activity Center, 1124 W. Sinto Ave., is hosting a parking lot sale, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Anyone wishing to sell anything at the event can buy spots in the parking lot for $20; 327-2861.

Free Composting and Chipping Event – Drop off your natural yard debris for chipping and learn about composting, outdoor burning, and protecting your home from wildfires, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Fire Station 49, Highway 395 and Monroe Road; 625-6800.

Home Depot Free Clinics – At Home Depot stores through April. Clinics include: “You Can Build a Deck,” Tuesdays, 7 p.m.; “You Can Maintain Your Lawn,” Thursdays, 7 p.m.; “You Can Lay Ceramic Tile,” Fridays, 7 p.m.; “You Can Organize Your Closets,” Saturdays, 10 a.m.; “You Can Create an Outdoor Living Space,” Saturdays, 2 p.m.; and “You Can Have Fun with Faux Painting: Basic and New Techniques,” Sundays, 2 p.m.; (800) 430-3376; www.homedepot.com.

Upcoming

Engineers Forum of Spokane – Monday at the Airport Holiday Inn, 1616 Windsor Drive. Topic will be “Why is Your Assessment So Low?” presented by Ralph Baker, Spokane County tax assessor. Lunch will be served at noon for $11; program begins at 12:30 p.m.; 244-3467; EngineersForumInfo@att.net.

Amateur Radio License testing session – Monday, 6 p.m., conference room of Hearth and Home, Colville; Norm (509) 684-6491 or Wilse (509) 738-4248.

United Nations Association, Spokane Chapter presentation – Monday, 7 p.m., at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 4340 W. Fort Wright Drive. Topic will be “The World Water Decade 2005-2015: Water for Life,” presented by Rachel Osborn, director of the Columbia Institute for Water Policy and instructor on water/environment at Gonzaga University; 624-3608.

“African Americans and Africans: The Vagaries of a Twentieth Century Relationship,” lecture – Presented by Ibrahim Sundiata, Ph.D., historian on slavery and forced labor, and author, Monday, 7:30 p.m., in the Robinson Teaching Theatre in Weyerhaeuser Hall at Whitworth College; 777-3270.