Quick News

Tuesday, May 6, 2008 2:04 PM MDT

Casper College plans summer OLLI classes

A free open house to introduce the line-up of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) classes for the summer semester will be held at Casper College on Wednesday, May 7, from 4-6 p.m.

OLLI at Casper College is a program created for adults aged 50 and older who want to continue learning and exploring.

Summer offerings include: “Extend Your Mind, Extend Your Life,” “Weaving the Threads of Tradition and Memory: Mayan Weaving,” “Life’s ‘Journey-ling’ Through Art,” “Reflections of Heaven: The Art and History of Religious Icons” and more.

According to Vicki Pollock, lifelong learning specialist, the open house will allow all those interested in participating in OLLI the chance to learn more about the program, ask questions and register for summer courses, which will not be offered evenings.

The open house will be held in the Doornbos Student Lounge, located in the Administration Building. Refreshments will be provided.

For more information, contact Pollock at 268-2097 or log on to www.caspercollege.edu.

Humane Society hosts low-cost vaccination clinic

The Casper Humane Society (CHS) will offer its monthly low-cost vaccination clinic on Wednesday, May 7.

The public is invited to bring their cats and dogs to the shelter for the clinic from 5n7 p.m., when rabies and combo shots for dogs and cats, as well as vaccinations against distemper and other diseases, will be offered.

The cost is $10 per vaccine except for the cat combo that includes the feline leukemia vaccine; the cost for this vaccination is $20.

The shots will be given by Dr. Don Cobb. Pet owners are asked to have their animals restrained when coming to the shelter, either with a leash or in a pet carrier. No appointment for the vaccination clinic is needed.

Pet owners also can purchase city pet licenses during the clinic hours.

This clinic falls during the annual recognition of Be Kind to Animals Week, which is observed this year May 4n10.

The CHS will have an informational table at the eastside Wal-Mart during the week with various educational materials for children and adults, as well as information on the organization's scheduled May events.

For more information, call 265-5439.

NAMI hosts ECT session

NAMI-Casper will host a free presentation on electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) on Wednesday, May 7, at 7 p.m. at 133 W. Sixth St.

NAMI-Casper advocate Peg Jackson will present the information. She has been through the process “and is eager to tell her lived experience,” according to a release.

Jackson will discuss the benefits of ECT in treating depression and other mental illnesses, the preparation involved and what to expect. Informational handouts will be provided, and there will be a question and answer session.

Teens invited to “Late Night” event

Students in grades 8-12 are invited to attend “Late Night” at Casper Family Aquatic Center on Friday, May 9, from 8-11 p.m.

Admission is free, and activities will include splash contests, games, volleyball and more. Music will be played throughout the event, and prizes will be given to contest winners.

Participants need to bring their swimwear and their school identification card to the event, which is sponsored by the Central Casper Weed & Seed Program.

For further information, call the Casper Recreation Center at 235-8383.

Seton House playhouse drawing May 10

Seton House is featuring a “Circus Fun House” playhouse for its annual Mother’s Day raffle drawing, scheduled on Saturday, May 10.

The playhouse, currently displayed at Eastridge Mall Center Court, has a circus “tent” and an animal wagon, both decorated with all things circus. There also are jungle lawn chairs, an elephant stool, hula hoops and more.

Besides a chance to win the Seton House “Circus Fun House” playhouse, each raffle ticket offers a chance to win two other prizes: second place, a $100 mall shopping spree and third place, a $50 gift certificate from Target.

Raffle tickets, which are $3 each or two for $5, are available at various merchants around the community.

White Carnation Brunch set May 10

On Saturday, May 10, at 10 a.m., Central Wyoming Hospice and Transitions will hold the “White Carnation Brunch: Honoring Motherhood.”

This event is a celebration of motherhood, and is open to anyone for whom Mother’s Day is a difficult time.

White carnations are associated with the sad feeling of a mother being absent due to death or anything that separates a mother from her child.

Anyone interested in attending the White Carnation Brunch must RSVP prior to the event. Seating is limited.

For more information or to RSVP, call Dama at 577-4832.

Master Gardeners plan spring plant sale

The Natrona County Master Gardeners will hold their annual spring plant sale on Saturday, May 10, at the Agricultural Resource and Learning Center, 2011 Fairgrounds Road.

Plants like tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cabbages and herbs will be for sale, as will perennials, trees, shrubs, houseplants and more.

Doors will open at 8 a.m., and the event will run until noon.

Free kids fishing derby planned May 10

The Casper Recreation Division will be hosting the 13th Annual Kids Fishing Derby on Saturday, May 10, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Yesness Pond, located at 4100 SW Wyoming Blvd.

This free event is for kids 14 and under, who must be accompanied by their parents. Families with last names beginning with the letters A through M will fish from 8-11 a.m., and families with last names beginning with the letter N through Z will fish from noon to 3 p.m.

Registration begins at event start time. There will be goody bags for all fishing participants.

Parking spaces are limited; overflow parking can be found at Crest Hill Elementary School, located at 4445 S. Poplar.

The Fishing Derby is sponsored by the Community Recreation Foundation in cooperation with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, North Platte Walleyes Unlimited Fishing Club and Sportsman’s Warehouse.

For more information, call the Casper Recreation Center at 235-8383 or log on to www.casperwy.gov.

Mother’s Day picnic announced

An authentic Mother’s Day picnic is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, at Matthew Campfield Park.

The park is located at 1120 N. Kimball near the Marion Kreiner pool.

Everyone is invited to celebrate Julia Ward Howe's true inspiration for Mother’s Day: "Bring our sons home from war!"

The Pots ’n’ Pans patriots will provide free hot dogs and drinks, live music, playgrounds for kids, dodge-ball, basketball and horse shoes.

For information, call Mary Ann Budenske at 232-8725, Sharon Long at 234-8721, or Kim Holloway at 237-0373.

NAACP plans May meeting

The Casper Chapter of the NAACP will be planning the summer season at its Sunday, May 11, meeting at 6 p.m. in the Tiffany Room at the Parkway Plaza.

Plans will be made for the annual summer picnic, date to be announced, and for the NAACP’s state conference, scheduled for Casper Aug. 23-24. The conference involves all of the NAACP branches and members in Montana, Colorado and Wyoming.

Reports of the Legal Redress and the Political Action committees also will be presented and discussed.

For more information about this meeting and/or on the Casper Branch of the NAACP, call President James Simmons at 307-247-0836.

Bookmobile schedule

For more information, call 237-4935, or log on to www.natronacountylibrary.org.

Thursday, May 8: 9:25-9:55 a.m., Your First Steps (195 N. Pronghorn); 10:15-10:45 a.m., Office Max Inc. (441 Landmark Drive); 11-11:30 a.m., Pineview School area (650 Lion’s Court); 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., North Casper School (1014 Glenarm); 4-4:40 p.m., YMCA (315 E. 15th); 5-5:30 p.m., Evansville School.

Monday, May 12: 9:30-10:15 a.m., Next Generation (160 N. Washington); 10:30-11 a.m., Sunshine Corner (2303 E. 15th); 11:10 a.m. to noon, Sagewood School area (1230 E. 22nd); 3:15-3:45 p.m., Apple Tree Learning Center (60 Magnolia); 4:15-5:15 p.m., Robertson Road area (Whispering Springs & King Salmon).

Tuesday, May 13: 11-11:30 a.m., Powder River School; 11:35 a.m. to noon, Powder River Post Office; 2:50-3:25 p.m., Sagewood School Area II (1901 E. 24th); 3:45-4:20 p.m., Paradise Valley I (Daffodil Street); 4:30-5 p.m. Paradise Valley II (Glendo Street).

Wednesday, May 14: 10:15-11 a.m., Big Tree Area (1712 S. Oak); 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Willard School (129 N. Elk); 2:25-3:20 p.m., Prince of Peace School Area (South Beverly & Eighth streets); 3:30-4:15 p.m., New Directions (Life Steps Campus); 4:30-5:15 p.m., Boys & Girls Club (1701 E. “K” St.).

Republican Women meet May 14

The Natrona County Republican Women will host their May lunch meeting at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 14, at the Casper Petroleum Club.

The guest speaker will be Bill Winney, a candidate for the open U.S. House seat.

The cost is $13, and reservations are a must and can be made on or before May 12, by calling or e-mailing Bonnie Foster at 265-1814 or bmfoster@bresnan.net.

Defensive driving courses offered

Defensive driving courses for people 55 years and older are conducted on the second Tuesday and Wednesday of each month, sponsored by the Central Wyoming Senior Citizens Center.

A course is scheduled from 2-6 p.m. on May 13-14 at the Casper Senior Center, 1831 E. Fourth St. Each session is taught by AARP-trained instructors.

After successful completion, participants will receive a certificate that can qualify them for a 10 percent reduction in car insurance (liability and/or collision) over two years.

The cost is $10. For reservations or more information, call Georgia at 265-4678, ext. 12.

Wyoming Writers slate annual conference

Wyoming Writers Inc. will host their 34th annual conference June 6-8 at the Ramada Plaza Riverside, previously the Holiday Inn on the River, and writers throughout the region are encouraged to register early.

This year, organizers have included panelists during the conference in the fields of screenwriting, poetry and fiction. Two literary agents also will be available.

Screenwriter Robert Ben Garant, along with his partner, have written feature films for Disney, Spyglass, Imagine, Warner Brothers, Columbia, Paramount and other studios. He also is the writer, director and executive of “Reno 911” on Comedy Central.

Ray Gonzalez is a poet and author of 10 books of poetry. He also has written three collections of essays, two collections of short stories and more, as well as being editor of 12 anthologies. A professor at the University of Minnesota, he has served as poetry editor of the Bloomsbury Review for 22 years and founded LUNA, a poetry journal.

The fiction portion of the conference will be led by Masha Hamilton, who is the author of three novels, two of which are Book Sense picks by independent booksellers and one was a Barnes & Noble Discover Great Writers Selection and named a “best book of 2004” by the Library Journal.

Hamilton worked as a reporter for the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times and NBC Mutual Radio before turning to her fiction writing full time.

Agents Rita Rosenkranz and Katharine Sands will complete the schedule. Rosenkranz found her agency in 1990 and represents a variety of interests.

Sands is with Sara Jane Freymann Literary Agency in New York and is interested in books that benefit readers’ lives.

Early bird registrations, postmarked by May 15, will pay $165. After that date, the cost is $180. Checks should be mailed to Pat Frolander, WW Inc. Conference, 19652 Highway 14, Sundance, WY 82729.

For more information, log on to www.wyowriters.org, or contact conference@wyowriters.org or call Nancy Ruskowsky at 307-587-3968 or 307-250-0508.

Fathers Network starting to meet

The Wyoming Fathers Network, working to empower and strengthen fathers, will start to meet on the last Saturday of each month.

The 1 p.m. meetings will be at Uplift, 145 S. Durbin, Suite 201.

For more information, call 797-5141 and ask for Eric.

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