The Alameda Main Library will present the documentary “Koran By Heart” at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 20. The film highlights the lives of three students who devote themselves to memorizing and reciting the Koran.

It is being shown in collaboration with the Islamic Center of Alameda and the Alameda Multicultural Community Center, as part of special series of free cultural events: Muslim Journeys: An exploration and celebration of the intertwined histories of Islam and the West.

From 4-7 p.m. on Sunday Feb. 17, there will be a discussion of two books that focus on the theme of connected histories, accompanied by a multicultural potluck. The venue is the Islamic Center of Alameda, 901 Santa Clara Ave.

The third program takes place from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, March 16, the Leydecker Park Recreation Center (3225 Mecartney Road). The program will highlight stories about women and Islam.

The final program is set for 5-9 p.m. on Thursday, April 18, at the Alameda Multicultural Community Center, 1900 Third Street, in the Woodstock Education Center Multipurpose Room. The event will including a viewing and discussion of the film “Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World.”

To celebrate the end of the Year of the Dragon and get a jump on the Year of the Snake, the Alameda Free Library is hosting a lecture on Chinese art highlighting its hidden meanings.

LauraBeth Nelson, a docent at the Asian Museum of San Francisco, will discuss the symbols the Chines use in celebrating the New Year, birthdays, advancements in business and good wishes for a long and prosperous life.

The program will take place in the Regina K. Stafford meeting rooms at the Alameda Main Library, 1550 Oak Street, today (Wednesday January 9) from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

On New Year’s Eve, the Speisekammer Restaurant, at 2424 Lincoln Ave, will host a show by the Saddle Cats, an American Western swing four-piece ensemble, which is set to perform from 9 a.m. to midnight. Guests also can order German food and beer usually found on the menu, as well as some New Year Eve’s specialty items.

“It’s a local band that plays here regularly and is really a lot of fun,” said Cindy Kahl, a co-owner of the Lincoln Avenue establishment. “The Saddle Cats play vintage Western Swing, like what you hear from Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys.”

The musical group features Bobby Black on steel guitar, Richard Chon on fiddle and vocals, Gordon Clegg on guitar and Bing Nathan on bass. The members also plan to perform at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering, which will take place from Jan. 28-Feb. 2 in Elko, Nev.

At Rhythmix Cultural Works on Blanding, Bay Area-based comedian Josh Kornbluth will present his Red Diaper Baby show at 7 and 10 p.m. on Dec. 31. The New Year’s Eve program features “a poignant celebration of a neurotic child’s awkward yet heartfelt journey into adulthood,” Rhythmix staff members say.

“Josh received a standing ovation for his October show at Temple Israel” on Bay Farm, said Ruth Belikove, who helped put that event together. “It will not be the same monologue, and I hope many Alamedans will come to see him again. His material is autobiographical, which makes him so amusing and very funny.”

According to Kornbluth, a man with “a deep fear of transitions,” the show highlights “thorny subjects as sex, politics and the possible overuse of baby powder,” along with details about a young boy who believed he was destined to grow up to lead a communist revolution in America.

Tickets are $30-$40, and the 10 p.m. show includes a champagne toast. (See www.rhthymix.org or call 510-865-5060.)

Alameda businesses and organizations have put together a wide range of options for Islanders looking to go out on the town this evening. That means that residents can find lots of fun close to home — and leave their cars behind while ringing in the New Year.

The Alameda Theatre & Cineplex will host a New Year’s Eve celebration by showing “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” at 10:30 p.m. on Dec. 31. For $10, guests can see the movie and enjoy a New Year Eve’s countdown at 11:45 p.m., during an intermission. Event organizers invite community members to come “enjoy an alcohol-free evening for all ages.”

The Alameda Theatre will share the proceeds of half of all tickets sales with local charities, including the Alameda High School Music Booster, Alameda High School DECA (a marketing and business club), Friends of the Alameda Animal Shelter, Encinal High School PTSA, Alameda Civic Ballet, Greater Alameda Business Association, Park Street Business Association and West Alameda Business Association.

The City of Alameda’s planning board will discuss zoning issues, plan amendments and draft design rules for future development of the North Park Street Area at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 15, at City Hall.

North Park Street is bordered by the Oakland-Alameda Estuary, Tilden/Lincoln Avenue and Oak Street.

Printed materials are available for review at the Community Development Department Office, Room 190, 2263 Santa Clara (in City Hall).

The project is being ed by Andrew Thomas, planning-services manager.

Public input can be shared starting Jan. 2, when the staff report and recommendations will be available for review on the city’s website.

Residents can also make comments in person at the public hearing on Jan. 15 or in writing before the meeting via e-mail (nmcpeak@ci.alameda.ca.us).

To share comments at the meeting in print, bring 12 copies of letters to the Jan. 15 discussion.

A link to the North Park Street documents will be available here on Jan. 2, once they are posted by the city. Documents from November 2012 are available online.

The Alameda Community Learning Center and Nea Community Learning Center have information nights and school tours slated in January, before the Jan. 25, 2013, application deadlines.

ACLC, 210 Central Avenue (Building 603) is open to Alameda residents for middle and high school, and its programs focus on college readiness. Students can also participate in sports, arts and drama programs at Encinal High School.

There is a parent information meeting set for 6 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 10, for the middle school and 7:30 p.m. for the high school. School tours of the facilities are scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 11, for the middle school at 9:30 a.m. on the same day for the high school; the tours last one hour.

Go to the school’s website or application site, and call 510-521-7543 for more details.

Nea Community Learning Center is open to Alameda students in grades K-12, and the middle and high schools are hosting a parent information night on Tuesday, Jan. 22. The middle school discussion starts at 6 p.m., with the high school forum beginning at 7:30 p.m.

A tour of the school is available at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 24. And the school is located at 500 Pacific Ave., near the corner of Buena Vista Avenue and Poggi Street.

Both schools focus on project-based learning. Their deadline for priority admission is 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 25. Lotteries will be held for slots, if needed, on Monday, Jan. 28
See the school’s application website and school website, or call 510-748-4008 for more details.

The Alameda Main Library, 1550 Oak Street, is wrapping up three art shows today–Saturday, Dec. 29, 2012.

The first, entitled Inspired by Poetry, is a display of acrylic paintings and prints by Luis Octavio Valdez, who studied printmaking at the University of Guanajuato in Mexico and now lives in the area. It is located on the first floor of the library in the Regina K. Stafford Meeting Room.

The second show is found in the same area. It includes portraits and landscapes by Felix Fortuna, another local artist. Fortuna was born and raised in the Philippines, but joined the U.S. Navy in 1946, when he began studying art.

Fortuna paints in acrylics using vibrant colors, which reflect his love of the Arizona desert, cactus plans and red rocks. He spends time there on a regular basis.

Up on the second floor of the library, Alameda-based artist Jon Kerpel has a series of assemblages that reflect his interest in the environment and our stewardship of the natural world.

Kerpel combines gently used objects, animal imagery, jewels, and other recycled or re-purposed materials to create shrines to animals, fish and other vulnerable members of our environment.

The Albany FilmFest will take place in Alameda on Friday, Feb. 8, at Rhythmix Cultural Works on Blanding.

The event is a juried festival of short films made by emerging independent local and national filmmakers of all ages.

“This family-friendly special selection is a quirky and eclectic mix of animated, narrative, and documentary shorts highlighting winners and favorite films from the past two years,” according to event organizers.

The third-annual Albany FilmFest is also coming to Albany on Saturday March 2.

There will be (free) popcorn for all guests.

Rhythmix Cultural Works has organized a second Winter Wonderland Art Camp for children ages 6 to 12 from Wednesday to Friday, Jan. 2 to 4.

The camp is led by Aliea Wallace, who will teach students how to create their favorite winter characters and places in both two- and three-dimensions. The program focuses on new projects to be completed during the special winter camp, including snow globes.

Born in South Hadley, Mass., Wallace earned a bachelor of fine arts degree in painting from the Massachusetts College of Art and currently resides in Alameda.

Rhythmix, at 2513 Blanding Ave., offers art classes for children and adults on an ongoing basis.