Briefly: News notes Thursday

White Cane Banquet Saturday in Omaha

The White Cane Banquet of the National Federation of the Blind of Nebraska will be from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday at the Omaha Marriott Hotel, 10220 Regency Circle.

The group is celebrating the importance of Braille literacy along with the 200th anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille, who invented the writing and reading system for blind people.

For tickets, which are $40, call Sandy Alvarado at 339-5519.

Bellevue chamber seeking nominees

Nominations for the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce’s Woman of the Year award are due Nov. 20.

The award will be presented at the Women in Leadership wine and cheese reception from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 1 at Bellevue University’s Durham Student Center.

Cost to attend the reception is $15, or $10 for chamber members. E-mail Bellevue@BellevueNebraska.com for more information.

Homeless vets can get help Saturday

Homeless veterans can get help and a hot meal Saturday at the Omaha Civic Auditorium’s Mancuso Hall.

The “Stand Down” will be from 9 a.m. to noon.

The Department of Veterans Affairs Nebraska-Western Iowa Health Care System will provide free services, such as health screenings, eye exams, drug and alcohol counseling, mental health services and foot care. The veterans also can receive free clothing.

Veterans must be eligible for VA health care to participate in the Stand Down.

Stand Down is a military term that means service members are removed from the combat field to receive rest and rehabilitation.

Lauritzen Gardens to sell salvaged artifacts

Salvaged local architectural artifacts from razed residences and landmarks will be for sale during a trunk show at the Lauritzen Gardens gift shop from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Items featured will include punched tin ceiling tiles and a 5-foot-tall, punched solid copper corbel. Both were salvaged from Jobbers Canyon, a warehouse district that was razed in the late 1980s to make room for ConAgra headquarters.

Detailed cast-iron railings and balusters from structures throughout Omaha, including the Union Stockyards, will be available as well as decorative red terra cotta pieces from the Wickham building in Council Bluffs, among other items.

Prices range from $15 to $13,000.

Help available with Medicare Part D

U.S. Rep. Lee Terry on Tuesday and next month will provide resources for senior citizens who need help signing up for Medicare Part D. Terry’s Omaha office will host Volunteers Assisting Seniors to help senior citizens go over the various plans of Medicare Part D.

VAS volunteers will be at Terry’s office from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday and from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dec. 16.

For an appointment, call 397-9944. Space is limited.

Law students to help immigrants in lottery

Students from the University of Nebraska College of Law will be available from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday to provide free help to foreign nationals who want to take part in the diversity visa lottery.

The diversity visa lottery, conducted once a year by the U.S. State Department, offers a chance for permanent residency to foreign nationals whose home country is underrepresented in the U.S. population. To participate in the lottery, applicants must ensure that they are eligible and must fill out an online form.

The law students will be on hand to verify individuals’ eligibility, take their photos and help complete their online applications.

People interested in the lottery should call the Immigration Clinic at 402-472-3271. The College of Law is on UNL’s East Campus, off Holdrege Street near 40th Street.

Veterans who saw Al Jolson sought

The International Al Jolson Society (www.jolson.org) is seeking veterans who saw Jolson entertain in one of his many shows for servicemen. Servicemen can write about their experiences or record their memories.

The Jolson Society will publish these accounts and share them as part of a special Jolson Service Project. Any photos of these historical shows also would be welcomed.

The singer, comedian and actor worked tirelessly in World War II and the Korean War to bring servicemen laughter and entertainment.

Interested veterans and their families can contact Kirk Estee of the International Al Jolson Society at esteek@cox.net or at 13617 Shirley St., Omaha, NE 68144, 333-7845.

Bemis Park patrol plans chili dinner

The Bemis Park Citizens Patrol will host a chili sampler dinner from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at Augustana Lutheran Church, 38th Street and Lafayette Avenue.

The dinner will include 14 types of chili, along with hot dogs, beverages and dessert. Tickets, which are $5 each, are available at the door or in advance by calling 213-6474.

Former rail agent to speak Sunday

The Historical Society of Pottawattamie County will conclude its 2009 Fall Lecture Series on Sunday at the RailsWest Museum, 16th Avenue and South Main Street.

The 2 p.m. lecture will feature Sam Irwin, who will talk about the role of railroad special agents. Irwin was first hired by Union Pacific in 1964, and he eventually became a railroad special agent, whose role was to “protect the people, protect the property and protect the cargo.” He retired from the Union Pacific in 1999 as senior special agent.

The event is free and open to the public.

Safety officials to meet in McCook

The Nebraska Safety Council is teaming up with the Frenchman Valley Co-op to hold a Safety Connections luncheon meeting from noon to 1 p.m. Nov. 18 in McCook, Neb.

Safety Connections meetings are designed to bring together individuals who have responsibility for safety in their organizations so they can share information and learn from others.

The meeting topic is OSHA’s new Combustible Dust Program. Guest speaker is Christine Reed, industrial hygienist for the Nebraska Safety Council.

The meeting will be at the co-op, 102 E. Third St. in McCook. The only charge will be for lunch.

To register, contact the Nebraska Safety Council, 402-483-2581, ext. 103, or register online at www.nesafetycouncil.org under “Networking.”

Art, food and fun on tap Friday in Bluffs

This month’s Second Fridays Downtown Council Bluffs is 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at four locations: 109 Pearl St., the Park Building at 500 Willow Ave., the Center at 714 S. Main St. and the Indian Creek Art and Education Center.

More than 30 artists will participate, including Margaret LaBounty of Rock Speaks Studio in the Bluffs. The evening also will include wine tasting, food and entertainment.

Free rides on Ollie the Trolley from one location to another will be available.

Sierra Club to meet Nov. 21 in Ralston

The Nebraska Chapter of the Sierra Club will hold its annual banquet on Nov. 21 at the Spaghetti Works, 8416 Park Drive in Ralston.

The evening will include a social hour with cash bar and silent auction at 6 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m. and an awards presentation and program.

The speaker will be State Sen. Ken Haar of Malcolm, a member of the Natural Resources Committee. Haar will discuss the outlook for environmental legislation in the 2010 legislative session.

Cost is $20, which includes an all-you-can-eat pasta dinner.

For reservations, call Clyde at 932-7225, or send an e-mail to clydelanderson@cox.net.

Compiled by Veronica Daehn Stickney and Carol Bicak