Community briefs

Carson City

Type O blood donors needed immediately

United Blood Services, the area's nonprofit community blood provider, has issued a critical appeal for people with type-O negative blood to donate in the next two weeks. Emergency rooms are using more and more type-O blood each year. In many emergency situations, hospitals use type-O negative blood until the patient is stabilized and blood type is determined. Blood needs to be there when an emergency hits.

If you have type-O blood, call United Blood Services at 887-9111to schedule an appointment.

Carson City/Storey County 4-H & Youth Fair this weekend

The Carson City/Storey County 4-H and Youth Fair begins Friday at the Carson City Fairgrounds Exhibit Hall at Fuji Park, 601 Old Clear Creek Road. Admission for spectators for the three-day event is free. Enjoy the festivities 4 Ð 7 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m. Ð 4 p.m. Saturday, and 9 a.m. Ð 3 p.m. Sunday.

Any youth can enter a number of contest categories, including home arts; fine arts and crafts; photography; foods; clothing and textiles; needlework and sewing; flowers; and fruits, vegetables and other crops. There are nominal fees for each entry, $1 to $3. There will also be a bomb proofing horse-training session on Saturday. The fee for the training sessions is $5 per animal. Preregistration is encouraged.

4-H youth will participate in dog, rabbit, cavy and poultry shows. They also will be showing various displays, and giving speeches and demonstrations. In addition, 4-H invites children to dress up their pets and bring them out for "Pets on Parade" at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.

Contact Jim Barcellos or Sandy Wallin, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, 887-2252. The 4-H program is a youth leadership and development program of University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.

Railroad Museum introduces Whistlin' Billy on Friday

Children are invited to meet Whistlin' Billy, an interactive locomotive adventure at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, during an opening reception from 10:30 a.m.-noon Friday.

Opening-day festivities include refreshments and a free picture of each child with Whistlin' Billy.

Whistlin' Billy was built especially for children to play in and around. It has most of the gadgets found in a real locomotive: valves with turning handles, a firebox door that opens, a Johnson bar, a bell, knobs and handles.

The locomotive was designed by museum volunteer and artist Loren Jahn who is also working on an eight-foot Nevada landscape mural and map that will be part of the permanent exhibit.

Complete Millwork Services of Mound House built and generously donated the locomotive to the museum display.

Whistlin' Billy will also be the center of several original storytime adventures to help children ages four to eight learn about history, culture and geography. Stories include "The Legend of Whistlin' Billy," "Ghost Lights," "Big Snow," "Fish Tales" and "Dog Days of Summer."

The first storytime is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Aug. 6.

The museum is at 2180 S. Carson St. Call 687-6953.