Fourteen projects, including creation of a Web site about exile author Jānis Klīdzējs and research into Latvian textile art, will receive between USD 835 and USD 1,999 in grants from the Latvian Foundation, the foundation announced Aug. 17.

The foundation considered a total 54 small projects that requested up to USD 2,000 in grants. The foundation’s board made the awards during a May 1 meeting in Michigan.

The board also reviewed 11 projects requesting between USD 2,001 and USD 5,000 in aid, plus 20 wanting between USD 5,001 and USD 8,000 in grants. Those projects will be put to a vote of Latvian Foundation members and results announced during the foundation’s annual meeting Nov. 6 in New York.

Small grants approved included books for the city libraries in Aizpute, USD 1,500, and Viļaki, USD 1,094; renewal of folk costumes in Pope parish, USD 1,283; creation of the Web site about Klīdzējs, USD 835; a tour of the castles of Kurzeme planned by the Art School in Balvi, USD 1,587; a memoir about persons repressed during the Soviet occupation in Viesturi parish, USD 938; a course in Latvian traditional culture in the elementary school in Jaunsilava, USD 1,997; publication of the novel Baltic Amber, USD 1,000; a cycle of traditional Latvian festivals in the Auce area, USD 1,960; an album of artwork by painter Jāzeps Pīgoznis, USD 1,946; the research into Latvian textile art, USD 1,725; a children’s camp focused on traditional art in Taurene parish, USD 1,600; a project about traditional Latvian culture in Zirņi parish, USD 1,999; and a project on folkways in Lutriņi parish, USD 1,536.

Established in 1970, the Latvian Foundation is based in North America and supports cultural and educational projects in the Latvian community. Since its inception, the foundation has approved grants totaling more than USD 1.2 million. In recent years, the majority of grants have supported projects in Latvia. Two years ago, the foundation set up a division in Latvia.

Further information about the foundation is available from its Web site, www.latviesufonds.org.

The young woman in folk costume who once graced the 5-lat coin in pre-war Latvia might return someday to the nation’s version of a euro coin. The suggested design is part of the winning entry in a contest to conceptualize what Latvia’s eight euro coins might look like, the Bank of Latvia announced Aug. 16.

Ilze Kalniņa of Jēkabpils won the LVL 1,000 top prize in the contest. She suggested that Latvia’s version of the 2 euro coin display the picture of the woman from the old silver coin, popularly known as the “Milda.” Kalniņa also suggested that a picture of the Freedom Monument appear on the 1-euro coin and that Latvia’s coat of arms appear on lesser denominations.

A total of eight euro coins are used in the European Union, the 1-, 2-, 5-, 10-, 20- and 50-cent coins, as well as the 1- and 2-euro coins. They share a common side, but have different national sides, according to the European Central Bank.

Kalniņa’s concept was selected by a jury from a total of 1,088 entries received from January to April, the bank said.

The bank said the design concept might be modified during discussions with the mint. The earliest the coins might appear, if Latvia is deemed ready to switch to the euro, is January 2008.

A picture of the woman in folk costume appears on the current 500-lat banknote.

A U.S. Army Special Forces soldier who was born in Latvia has died during combat in Iraq. Capt. Michael Yury Tarlavsky, 30, was based at Fort Campbell, Ky., military and media reports said.

Tarlavsky died Aug. 12 in Najaf, Iraq, when his unit came under small arms fire and grenade attack, the Department of Defense said in a press release. He served with the 1st Battalion, 5th Special Forces Group, based at Fort Campbell.

Tarlavsky’s family emigrated from Latvia when he was five years old. In 1979 they settled in Clifton, N.J., the Bergen County Record reported, quoting family members.

Tarlavsky graduated from Rutgers University in 1996. He served in Korea and Hawaii before being assigned to Iraq. He was married two years ago and had a young son.