Emily Babay

Omaha World-Herald

By Emily Babay

When Lyons, Neb., celebrates its 125th year this Independence Day, the recession isn’t going to get in the way.

The town of about 1,000 in Burt County is spending twice as much as usual on its fireworks display, said Denise Johnson, chairwoman of the Fourth of July committee.

About four years of fundraising efforts have gone into the fireworks show and a weekend-long bluegrass festival.

The town supported suppers, barbecues and dances to raise the funds, Johnson said. And this weekend, the streets will be filled with games, music and fireworks.

It’s a sharp contrast to cities large and small throughout the country, including Miami and Ridgefield Park, N.J., that have canceled Independence Day events because of the economy.

In Lyons, scaling back wasn’t an option.

“It’s our 125th. We really didn’t want to do that,” Johnson said.

In the Midlands, even communities not celebrating milestones aren’t cutting back on festivities. Fundraising has been a bit tougher, celebration planners say, but a less-severe economic downturn here and communities willing to support long-standing traditions are keeping celebrations alive.
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Omaha World-Herald

By Emily Babay

Drummer and vibraphonist Luigi Waites has played before live audiences thousands of times in his decades-long career.

In 2005, the Omaha arts community celebrated his 1,500th jazz performance at Mr. Toad’s in the Old Market with a party at the bar. Waites, then in his late 70s, was lauded for his energy and longevity.

“For an old man, he’s got a lot of spunk,” Doyle Tipler, a trumpeter in his band, said at the time.

Now, the spunk of Waites’ live shows — heard by generations of Omahans — will make its way to a CD. He has performed weekly at Mr. Toad’s since the mid-1970s.

The album will be the first recorded live for Waites, now 81, and his band, Luigi Inc.

And Waites expects it to be his last recording.

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