stars

Tickets are on sale for the fourth annual Concert Under the Stars, a fundraiser for The Greenhouse Project, featuring Pablo Cruise, Jaime Kyle and Northern Nevada’s own The Mighty Surf Lords.

The event takes place July 11 at Café at Adele’s and begins with the silent auction at 5 p.m., followed at 6 p.m. with happy, fun-filled music by The Mighty Surf Lords, who also played the venue last year and who open this year for Jaime Kyle and Pablo Cruise.

Tony Romo, the star quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys and renowned amateur golfer, is the top choice of Harrah’s Lake Tahoe Sportsbook to win the 23nd annual American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament.
The now married 32 year-old, a new father, is listed at 5-2, ahead of perennial favorite Rick Rhoden (4-1), the former Major League Baseball pitcher who has won the American Century Championship eight times and started 33 tournaments on the PGA Champions Tour.

No, I can't dance, but you can come watch and laugh as I try tomorrow night at the “Local Celebrities Who Think They Can Dance” event at the Carson Nugget.

The event is put on by the High Sierra Swing Dance Club, and involves getting some local "celebrities" to compete in a mini "Dancing with the Stars"-style contest. If you are the betting type, I'd put my money on Sheriff Kenny Furlong to win.

Heavenly Mountain Resort at South Lake Tahoe will host the U.S. Freestyle Championships in 2012-13 and 2013-14. The two-year deal brings the women’s and men’s moguls, aerials and dual moguls back to Lake Tahoe's South Shore for the second time. Heavenly also hosted the U.S. Freestyle Championships in 2004, as well as FIS World Cup Freestyle events in 1999 and 2000.

Where else have you seen the likes of Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Aaron Rodgers, Tony Romo and Ray Romano in the same place? No where but the American Century Championship on the shores of Lake Tahoe.

The action-comedy film "21 Jump Street," currently playing at the Fandango Galaxy cineplex in Carson City, may seem a little familiar to those who saw the teen comedy "Project X" recently. And for good reason, the writer for both films was Michael Bacall. There's much of the same in both films, high school affairs drugs and teen mammoth parties.

But don't let that spook you, as bad as "Project X" was, "21 Jump Street" is loud and funny and has two fine leads, Jonah Hill as Schmidt and Channing Tatum as Jenko. In high school Schmidt was the goofball and Jenko the football star.

The action-Satanic film "Ghost Rider, Spirit of Vengeance," currently booming away at the Fandango Galaxy cineplex in Carson City, stars Nicholas Gage as Johnny Blaze, motorcycle stunt rider with a hangup that puts him in seclusion until summoned again to ride his motorcycle blazing with fire and to don his alter ego at Ghost Rider, with the burning skull.

Right off, this is a lousy movie from the making sense point of view and it is the latest in Gage's series of flops. But he keeps trying and his grimaces are standard stock from the past.

The film "This Means War," currently on view at the Fandango Galaxy cineplex in Carson City, stars Reese Witherspoon as Laure Scott. Which is good because she almost brings this turkey of a romantic comedy to life all by herself.

The Carson City Library will show the Academy Award nominated film, “The Tree of Life”, on Friday, February 24th, at 6:30 p.m. This film is directed by Terrence Malik, and stars Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood and into his adulthood. Jack finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith.

"Safe House," an action thriller on view at the Fandano Galaxy cineplex in Carson City, is the latest in the parade of suck movies from Hollywood.

It has all the requisite features — explosions, car chases, a plethora of violence and a couple of stars. Denzel Washington stars as Tobin Frost, a rouge CIA agent in possession of a secret file that makes him a CIA target. Ryan Reynolds plays Matt Weston, an active CIA agent in charge of a safe house in Cape Town, South Africa.

The action-thriller "Contraband," now playing at the Fandango Galaxy cineplex in Carson City, stars Mark Wahlberg as Chris Farraday, a reformed former ace smuggler living in New Orleans with with wife Kate (Kate Beckinsale) and two sons (largely ignored) making home burglar alarms as a business.

Then his brother-in-law Ben Foster (Sebastian Abney) screws up a drug deal and Chris has to step in to save him and his family from the drug boss Tim Briggs' (Giovanni Ribisi) murder threats.

CARSON CITY – Nevada is joining with many other states in seeking a waiver from the requirements of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, a state panel was told today.

Director David Fincher's "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," currently showing at the Fandango Galaxy multiplex in Carson City, is an exciting thriller with dramatic overtones. It's based on the novel by Stieg Larsson which was a big best seller.

Daniel Craig stars as a Swedish journalist facing a big fine over slander in an article he wrote about a Swedish industrialist. Rooney Mara plays Lisbeth Salander, computer wizard and extreme individualist tendencies.

The 2012 line-up of entertainment is guaranteed to Blue ‘em away at Lake Tahoe South’s MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa. The New Year’s festivities and beyond continue the trend of popular contemporary artists including: The Cataracs, NOFX, Lucinda Williams, The Expendables, Whitney Cummings, 311 and Wayne Brady. The combo of entertainment, amenities and nightlife has established MontBleu on the virtual map among revelers.

2011 Ends on a High Note…

Sometimes watching a dreck movie and enjoying it can be embarrassing. Such is the case with "New Year's Eve," a multifaceted comedy of sorts playing at the Fandango Galaxy cinema in Carson City. The cast is all-star, from Hilary Swank to Robert De Niro. And while the film is pure twaddle, director Gary Marshall keeps all the balls in the air. And he should be able to; he made the same movie last year on a Valentine's Day theme.

"The Sitter," billed as a black comedy and currently flickering at the Fandango Galaxy cineplex in Carson City, is mercifully only 81 minutes long, but that's long enough to spell disaster to any discriminating movie goer.

It stars comic actor Jonah Hill as college failure Noah forced into baby sitting three of the most repellent child actors in living memory. He is also pursuing a blonde who is suggesting intimacy that night.

Judy Monson, founder and director of the Carson Chamber Singers since 1985, has announced her decision to retire in June 2012 after the Pops Party concert. A well known and loved educator, vocalist, and conductor in Carson City and Reno, Ms. Monson has led the Chamber Singers in inspiring performances in Carson City, Reno, Virginia City, Minden, Genoa, and Fallon.

Press Release 11/15/2011

Book Title: WESTWARD WOMAN: My Two Thousand Mile Trek of Raw Discovery along the DONNER TRAIL (ISBN-13: 978-1463738822, ISBN-10: 146373882X)
Author: Barbara Maat
Available on www.amazon.com

For more details:
Pictures and an early draft are on www.DonnerTrail.Homestead.com

Director Clint Eastwood's film about J. Edgar Hoover, currently showing at the Fandango Galaxy cineplex in Carson City, shows the real creator of the Federal Bureau of Investigation with all of the faults and strengths clearly shown.The movie, "J. Edgar," follows the man from his early days with the U.S. attorney general's office to his days as ruler of a giant bureaucracy of lawyers and police.

The second annual Celebrity Chef and Harvest Dinner to benefit The Greenhouse Project takes place Nov. 14 at Adele’s Restaurant and Lounge in Carson City.

The evening is limited to 80 guests and features six courses paired with wine, prepared by Adele’s chef and owner, Charlie Abowd and guest chef Mylan Schmidt of Coco Dolce, Carson City.

Course sponsors at $1,000 and co-sponsorships at $500 are sought to offset the cost of meal preparation and other sponsorship opportunities will be available that evening.

The movie "The Rum Diary," currently housed at the Fandango Galaxy cineplex in Carson City, Stars Johnny Depp an roving journalist. It's based on the book of the same name by Hunter S. Thompson, a '60s star of the gonzo brand of journalism. To a large extent the film is a tribute to Thompson and is so noted at the end.

Film opens with Depp as Paul Kemp recovering from a hangover in what turns out to be a hotel room in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He's unshaven, bleery-eyed and is at once nasty to the bellman who brings his breakfast to the room.

"The Three Musketeers," currently playing at the Fandango Galaxy cineplex in Carson City, is the umpteenth version of the Alexander Dumas Pere's novel. Like most of its predecessors, the best parts don't really fit together. Things are sort of pasted into a film with its bright spots and plodding moments.

D'Artagnan is a country youth out to join the famed three musketeers in the France of Louis XIII. He finds them by accidentally challenging them to duels on the same day. Somehow he works it out.

The baseball-computer film "Moneyball" now playing at the Fandango Galaxy multiplex in Carson City, is the story of how computer analysis came to baseball through the then lowly Oakland A's. Brad Pitt is Billy Beane, general manager of the A's and a one-time hot prospect for baseball fame but who stuck out.

The Silver State Stars present "And Then There Was One Too," 7-9 p.m. tonight and Friday at the Carson City Community Center.The murder-mystery comedy play is a continuation of the popular Agath...

"Drive," a violent crime movie now playing at the Fandango Galaxy cineplex in Carson City and elsewhere, stars Ryan Gosling, a major Hollywood star as you can tell when his name appears even before the film title, along with 11 producers (some of whom were obviously go-fers) listed before the director Nicolas Winding Refn.

By the California Department of Fish and Game
The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) has confirmed reports of dead red abalone and sea stars inside coves along the coast in Sonoma County.
The number of dead and dying abalone is not known but reports have come from Bodega Bay, Russian Gulch, Fort Ross, Timber Cove and Salt Point State Park, beginning on August 27.
DFG biologists and game wardens have collected abalone, mussels and water samples and are continuing to document reports from the public.

The horror film "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," currently screening at the Fanango Galaxy cineplex in Carson City and elsewhere in the Tahoe area, stars Bailee Madison as Sally Hirst. She's about 10 or 12, is a bit chubby and has a mean way of not listening to her father Alex Hirst (Guy Pearce) or his wife Kimberly (Katie Holmes).

Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the pilot who calmly and heroically landed his jetliner on New York’s Hudson River saving all 155 passengers and crew on board, will speak in Incline Village at a benefit for the Thunderbird Preservation Society on Saturday, Sept. 3.
The man who redefined “hero” on January 15, 2009, will discuss the importance of core values, including the preservation of vintage Americana – specifically Lake Tahoe’s historic Thunderbird Lodge and Yacht.

"The Help," currently playing at the Fandango Galaxy cineplex in Carson City, is a welcome relief from such summer films as the ugly "Change-Up." No explosions, no car chases, no exploitive scenes for the teens among us. Instead it's a portrait of life in Mississippi in the 1960s and the near-infinite gap between the whites and their black maids and cooks.

Four former football stars were inducted into the Carson High School Football Hall of Fame Saturday night at the school's kick-off dinner.Carson, which has won or shared two straight league titl...