September 2023 Best of Northern Nevada

LETTERS EDITOR'S NOTE

After 40 months on the job, it’s time to step down

In 2013, I took a buyout after 25 years as a reporter and editor at the Reno Gazette-Journal. I got a call from Reno Mayor Bob Cashell, a Texas transplant who became one of Nevada’s favorite sons.

“You’re too young to be nailing the old coonskin to the wall,” Bob drawled. I told him I’d still be working—writing books, teaching and performing in Chautauqua. I’d made a living telling stories for decades, I noted, and I wouldn’t stop spinning yarns. But I’d sworn off full-time jobs forever, especially one listed at the top of a newspaper’s masthead.

Seven years later, COVID-19 disrupted everyone’s lives, eventually killed 1.1 million Americans (and counting) and erased countless businesses. The Reno News & Review shut down in March 2020. I was hired weeks later to keep the RN&R alive online “for about three months” until the pandemic ended.

During the first year, I felt like a lone defender on the walls of the Alamo. (Cashell, who died in 2020, would have appreciated the simile.) The job was both a burden and a blessing. As the country was roiled by contagion, economic woes, toxic politics and civil strife, I was back in my element, reporting from the streets, not trapped at home as news broke out all over.

When former editor Jimmy Boegle bought the paper last year, I stayed on as editor/reporter to help shepherd it back into print. I always planned to return to projects I’d put on hold—and now I am. This is my last issue as managing editor. Veteran Reno journalist Kris Vagner will take the con.

I’ll remain a contributor, so I’ll still see you in the funny papers. It has been an honor, a privilege and an unexpected last hurrah to be at the helm of the RN&R these past 40 months.

And now my watch is ended.

—FRANK X. MULLEN frankm@renonr.com

Bring the ancestors home

My first reaction after reading about Native Americans’ concerns over museums holding on to the remains of ancestors (RN&R, August 2023) was that most Americans have the same thing happen to their distant ancestors in Europe.

I don’t care if my Druid grandfathers are exhumed in Britain or archeologists collect ancient Gauls’ skeletons and display them in museums. As a Catholic, it’s a tradition in my religion to revere the bones of Saints as holy relics. Skulls and human bones are displayed in catacombs in many places in Europe. But I don’t live next to the old graves, and my linage is not in a direct line with those long-dead people.

According to the story, Native American tradition is to allow their dead to rest in peace, undisturbed forever—so it is time we respect their culture and return Indian remains for reburial.

Kevin Powers Fernley

Boycott the bullies

Maybe it’s time to name the bullies at local meetings (RN&R, August 2023) and expose them. A nice piece about who they are and

what businesses they run would help the public make decisions on whether they want to continue business with such hate-filled people.

E.D.P. Reno

Gun control works elsewhere

In response to April Pedersen’s “guns are forever” letter (RN&R, August 2023), one only needs to look at how we did actually ban assault weapons nationally under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. Or look at countries where the citizens decided “enough is enough” (New Zealand, for example). Banned weapons are first rounded up using buy-back programs. Over time, more banned weapons are removed as they’re confiscated as part of crime investigations.

Basic logic: If it has been done before, it can be done again, if we choose to do so.

Michael Rottmann Reno

Hot August traffic cones

Every year, the city of Reno and the RTC wait for the Hot August Nights (RN&R, August 2023) event before they start tearing up the streets and making Reno and Sparks into an obstacle course of construction equipment, holes in the road and traffic cones. I really think the

engineers get a big laugh out of that before they probably go on vacation and leave the rest of us to deal with the results.

Manny Rodriquez Reno

AI is dangerous

One of the dangers of artificial intelligence (RN&R, July 2023) comes from excessive reliance on it without verification. For instance, a New York federal judge recently sanctioned lawyers who submitted a legal brief written by the artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT, which included citations of non-existent court cases. Humans are lazy enough by nature without AI encouraging us to be even less diligent.

A greater danger is the growing ability to create deepfake videos that are virtually indistinguishable from reality, which could have the ability to change the outcome of elections. In the international arena, I can easily see countries even going to war based on provocations that never occurred. And some of the tools used in social media to increase user engagement can be repurposed to incite mass fear.

On the other hand, maybe AI will only be used for good—perhaps to make even more adorable puppy and kitten videos for YouTube.

Gary Marks Reno

Mailing address: 31855 Date Palm Drive, No. 3-263, Cathedral City, CA 92234 • 775-324-4440 • RenoNR.com

Publisher/Executive Editor

Jimmy Boegle

Editor

Frank X. Mullen

Photo Editor David Robert

Cover and Feature Design

Dennis Wodzisz

Distribution Lead

Rick Beckwith

Contributors

Alicia Barber, Matt Bieker, Maude Ballinger, John Barrette, Lucy Birmingham, Owen Bryant, Brad Bynum, Max Cannon, Guy Clifton, Zoe Dixon, Buddy Frank, Bob Grimm, Michael Grimm, Taylor Harker, Janice Hoke, Matt Jones, Matt King, Sheila Leslie, Michael Moberly, Maggie Nichols, Steve Noel, Dan Perkins, Jessica Santina, Jason Sarna, Marc Tiar, Kris Vagner, Robert Victor, Matt Westfield, Leah Wigren

The Reno News & Review print edition is published monthly. All content is ©2023 and may not be published or reprinted in any form without the written permission of the publisher. The RN&R is available free of charge throughout Northern Nevada, limited to one copy per reader. Additional copies may be purchased for $5 by calling 775-324-4440. The RN&R may be distributed only authorized distributors.

The RN&R is a proud member of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, the Nevada Press Association, and the Local Independent Online News Publishers.

GUEST COMMENT

Nevada Democratic Party chairmen ask Rep. Amodei to explain his support of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene

Dear Rep. Amodei:

When Republicans took control of the House in January, your GOP colleagues decided to remove Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., from the Foreign Affairs Committee.

The removal from committees was, Republicans claimed, because of comments she made that were judged to be antiSemitic.

Her removal was in spite of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stating, “Omar has certainly made mistakes, but has apologized … and has indicated she’ll learn from her mistakes and is working to build bridges with the Jewish community.”

However, another member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and your fellow Republican, has also made “controversial remarks.” Though she was removed from her committee assignments for those egregiously serious remarks, including those following the attempted coup on Jan. 6, 2021, Republicans decided she “deserved” to be reinstated.

Democrats had removed Rep. Greene for her own anti-Semitic remarks, specifically her claim that Jewish lasers in space were the cause of the horrific forest fires in the Western United States, rather than accepting the compelling evidence and consensus that climate change is the cause of the devastation of our forests.

Rep. Greene has fully embraced Q-Anon conspiracies, advocated for political violence, cavorted with neo-Nazis like Nick Fuentes, and proposed we become “Red” and “Blue” states (and that if a Democrat wants to move to a “Red” state, they can’t vote, a proposal that sounds like it’s from 1861, not 2023, and is tantamount to calling for secession).

Greene also has compared COVID-19 lockdowns to the Holocaust (she eventually

apologized), joined with other GOP legislators to unsuccessfully challenge the 2021 electoral college vote in spite of dozens of failed legal challenges, promoted Russian propaganda, praised Vladimir Putin, and harassed a high school mass shooting victim from Florida while in the halls of Congress.

Shockingly, Greene has stated publicly that had she been in charge of the Jan. 6, 2021, attempted coup, “we would have won,” because they would have brought guns. The long list continues.

The differing treatments of Omar and Greene show the glaring hypocritical positions of your party. To restrict a member of Congress from committee service for making a regrettable remark—for which she apologized and said she would learn from—and then allow another member who has done far worse to serve seems blatantly hypocritical.

Rep. Omar made a regrettable anti-Semitic remark for which she apologized, and Rep. Greene says the Jews are burning our forests. How do you explain this hypocrisy? We, as your constituents of Nevada’s Congressional District 2, demand an explanation so we can better understand your motivation, particularly on the eve of your re-election bid.

Respectfully, Tony Stephenson, Lyon County Democratic chair; Bruce Morrison, Storey County Democratic chair; Ellwood Howard, White Pine County Democratic chair; Lewis Hardy, Carson City Democratic chair; Scott Tudehope, Churchill County Democratic chair; Steve Anderson, Elko County Democratic chair; Aaron Sims, Rural Nevada Democratic Caucus; and Keith J. Milligan, press liaison and contact for the signatories above.

STREETALK

What is Northern Nevada best hidden gem?

Asked at Greater Nevada Field, 250 Evans Ave., Reno

Ben Paulsen

Real estate agent

BY DAVID ROBERT

Shim’s. It’s a speakeasy hidden in plain sight right by the Silver Legacy. It’s disguised as a trading post, but it’s a speakeasy-style bar. Enter by the back alley, and you’ll be greeted by bartenders dressed in 1920s garb. Even the checks come hidden in books.

Heather Lee

Administrative secretary

I’ll say Final Draught. It’s a Cheers-type of bar and taproom. It has a kind of warehouse vibe and is kid-friendly. It’s in Sparks hidden off Los Altos Parkway. It has rotating taps of different beers, mainly local, from IPAs to heffies to stouts. It’s like a neighborhood secret.

Sarah Swanson

Director of medical sales

I’m picking Brickies. It’s a tavern on Second Street. It’s rustic and cozy in appearance. They serve amazing breakfasts. It’s been around forever. It’s a hidden old-school gem, and it looks like nothing in that area, especially the Neon District.

Kim Page Logistics sales

There are hidden natural hot springs near the state line and (Tahoe’s) north shore border. You can only get to it by paddleboard. I heard about it from a local Incline Village person. I can’t exactly tell how to get there. I just know how to find it from memory.

Bob Paterick

Retired

There is a spot by Mayberry Park that gets you down to the river near the Patagonia warehouse. You can park a couple hundred yards away in a parking lot. You can bring your boats or tubes to go down the Truckee. I grew up here, and it was a hidden spot that only the “in” crowd knew about.

The RN&R welcomes guest commentaries. Opeds for our print edition run about 520 words in length and may be sent to letters@ renonr.com.

| BY SHEILA LESLIE

A look at just a few recent dishonorable maneuvers by GOP politicians

Donald Trump’s aggressive and blatant disregard of facts, social norms and the simple concept of telling the truth has given permission to many politicians to blur their own boundaries of ethical behavior.

It hasn’t helped that so many Republican officials have ridden the wave of Trump’s repulsive popularity, condoning his antics and criminal acts at the expense of our democracy.

Trump isn’t the only dishonorable politician, of course. We’ve seen many a Democrat also engage in shady behavior— although not as openly and outrageously as Trump—but most paid the price via prison time or a disgraceful resignation.

• The recent morally bankrupt act of transporting immigrants from Texas and Florida to sanctuary cities in Northern and Western states under false pretenses of jobs, affordable housing and economic support echoes the Reverse Freedom Rides organized in the early ’60s by white supremist groups. The segregationists gave one-way bus tickets to African Americans to travel north, promising good jobs and free housing. The organizers of both efforts tipped off media to

ensure coverage of their contemptible behavior, enjoying the limelight at the expense of those struggling to get by—although the recent death of a 3-year-old on a bus chartered by Texas to drop off immigrants in Chicago has left Gov. Greg Abbott sputtering about why he is not to blame.

• Governor Joe Lombardo has been embroiled in a dust-up with the Nevada Commission on Ethics over the repeated use of his Clark County sheriff’s uniform and badge during his 2022 campaign, despite clear guidance that prohibits a law-enforcement officer from doing so. The commission determined the Lombardo campaign “willfully,” “knowingly and repeatedly” engaged in numerous ethics violations. While the commission’s lawyers wildly overreached with a recommended fine of $1.67 million, based on their count of 68 violations, they ultimately settled on a $20,000 penalty with a censure as a consequence of Lombardo’s refusal to change his campaign practices, even after twice being formally notified he was breaking the rules.

It’s worth noting that the two votes opposing the governor’s censure and fine came from the two members who were just appointed by the governor to fill vacancies—a bad look

for the governor and the new members alike. Lombardo has said he plans to appeal the decision, presumably deciding it’s worth the time, attention and lawyers’ fees to defend his flaunting of campaign ethics.

• Lombardo also engaged in a recent public battle with legislative Democrats over the funding of private school “opportunity scholarships,” whereby businesses can reduce their tax obligations by making donations to a scholarship fund to pay private and religious school tuition. Don’t be misled: You and I are really paying these bills. The businesses don’t actually make a donation, as they receive the same amount in tax credits.

Lombardo wanted the Legislature to greatly expand the taxpayer-funded private-school program but was met with a wall of opposition from Democrats during the session who were rightfully more concerned about adequately funding public schools. When Lombardo didn’t prevail, he demanded the Interim Finance Committee allocate $3.2 million in COVID relief funds to allow currently enrolled children to maintain their scholarships this school year. Prior to the vote, Lombardo denounced Democrats’ “act of callous partisanship,”

saying: “Forcibly removing hundreds of lowincome students from their schools after the school year has already begun is devastating and simply incomprehensible.”

What Lombardo did not reveal was that a private entity used to disperse scholarship funds, the AAA Scholarship Foundation, had gobbled up the entire $6.6 million in available state funds, leaving nothing for families served by other entities—and was sitting on more than $13 million in reserves, claiming they might need the money over the next three years to enroll siblings and meet obligations. When Democrats refused to budge, the foundation suddenly decided to release sufficient funding to cover this year’s school bills, demonstrating a readymade solution was there all along, if Lombardo hadn’t been so focused on using these children as pawns in an ideological struggle over funding public education.

It was a shameful display of manufactured outrage from our governor, who seemed oblivious to the irony that thousands of public school children will be affected by his veto of universal school lunches. But there are not many political points Lombardo can leverage from his refusal to feed hungry children.

A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

A change in the managing editor’s seat

For months during the pandemic, Frank X. Mullen didn’t just work for the Reno News & Review; he was the Reno News & Review

In May 2020, the RN&R published seven pieces online. Three of them were by Frank.

In June 2020, the RN&R published 14 pieces online. Eleven of them were by Frank.

In July 2020, the RN&R published 12 pieces online. All of them were by Frank.

In August 2020, the RN&R published 15 pieces online. Fourteen of them were by Frank.

This continued well into 2021, when he finally got a little help. And it’s not like Frank was phoning it in; many of these pieces were newsy, in-depth, exhaustively reported pieces. A couple of them, from August 2021, on the Stewart Indian School’s unmarked graves, even won second place in the investigative reporting category of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia’s annual awards—a national journalism contest.

Without Frank X. Mullen, it’s almost certain that this newspaper would not exist right now.

When my company acquired the paper in January 2022, Frank told me that, at some point, he was going to want to step back from being the editor. He had a book to write; he wanted to get back to Chautauqua; he never intended to be running the RN&R for as long as he had been; etcetera. I told him I understood, and to just let me know when that time came.

Then, well, he kept working.

With some semblance of a freelance budget restored, he started finding writers to help rebuild the news section. He worked tirelessly to help get us back into print, even volunteering to deliver papers if needed. And he kept reporting—winning two Association of Alternative Newsmedia awards for his 2022 work. Oh, and he wrote our first 10 (!) print-edition cover stories after

our return (with a one-month break for Best of Northern Nevada a year ago).

Meanwhile, he kept mentioning his desire to step back. I kept telling him to give me an end date. He said he would; then he kept working. It got to the point where I began to wonder if he was ever actually going to give me an end date. Several months ago, he finally did: He said he’d stay on through the Best of Northern Nevada issue, and that, as editor, would be that.

Then … he kept working—never slowing down, as his story on Truckee Meadows Community College in this issue shows.

His last official day as editor will be Sept. 8. At that point, he’ll take on the title of editor at large (“but not ‘large editor,’” he clarified when I suggested the title). His writing and

| BY JIMMY BOEGLE

reporting will remain a prominent part of the Reno News & Review, I’m elated to say.

When Frank finally gave me his end date, and I started pondering who the RN&R’s next managing editor could be, one, and only one, name came to mind. I offered her the gig—and I was both elated and relieved she said yes.

On Sept. 11, Kris Vagner will become the RN&R’s managing editor. She’s a former RN&R arts editor, and she’s the founder and editor of Double Scoop, a nonprofit online news organization that truly is “Nevada’s go-to source for visual arts news, commentary and events,” as the website says. (Fans of Double Scoop, never fear: We’ve arranged things so Kris can remain with Double Scoop.)

If you know Kris, you know she’s amazing. Her journalism knowledge, integrity and talent are perfect for the RN&R. She knows Northern Nevada impeccably well; she’s a wonderful writer; and she’s well-versed in both digital publishing and nonprofit news.

But her most important qualification is one she shares with Frank and me: She loves the Reno News & Review

Welcome back, Kris. As of Sept. 11, she can be reached at krisv@renonr.com.

“Frank X. Mullen worked tirelessly to help get us back into print, even volunteering to deliver papers if needed. Oh, and he wrote our first 10 (!) print-edition cover stories after our return (with a one-month break for Best of Northern Nevada).”

| BY MATT WESTFIELD

Own a business? Don’t just make transactions; form partnerships

We’ll bounce around a few quick topics this month.

• First: All my heart goes out to our friends in beautiful Lahaina, Maui. It’s a sad time for awesome people in an amazing town. It will come back … let’s help.

• So … we know there are many ways to start and build a business in this world; with tech and remote access, it’s arguably easier than ever to create your own future from home. Those who embark and succeed represent a small percentage; most of those who try, fail. It’s a tricky thing—but some of us would have it no other way. Mark Cuban supposedly once said he’d rather work for himself for a year for no pay, rather than work for anyone else for $100,000 per year. (I didn’t find a citation or verify that he said this, because the point is valid regardless.)

My startups are not about the income, at least not initially—but they are about solving a problem, or problems, for partners/ customers. In my opinion, it’s much easier to convince someone that you can solve their problem or enhance their lives than it is to sell them something. There are many little tips I wish someone would have given me for the journey all those years ago. (Regrettably, some tips can only be learned individually— while on the journey.)

In a speech to a tech conference in Dakar, Senegal, in 2019, I talked about the “11 Truths of Entrepreneurship.” The first truth is first for a reason, and has been evident in every organization I’ve founded or cofounded: Business is not about business; business is about people. It doesn’t matter how good your product or service is; if people don’t like you or trust you, they will not do business with you … it’s that simple. In my businesses, I think of each customer as a partner, not as a customer. Why? Because if we are partners, we will solve problems together and provide ongoing value to each

other, as opposed to engaging in a transaction. A transaction is a one-time event. If you currently engage in transactions in your business, how can you transition those into alliances or partnerships, and create shareholders? If we focus on superior customer service, the revenues and profits will come.

These principles are not, of course, shared by all founders.

I know a successful service-based business owner who is doing about $4 million in revenue, with 30% margins … and a 10% repeat-customer rate. Yes, 10%. That means he needs to get nine new customers for every one he keeps. That is insane to me, and way too much work, even for a marketing guy like me. A service-based biz should have a huge repeat customer base. If it’s a one-time-per year-service or similar, then new customers should come from the steady recommendations of past customers. This is how I build all my companies—keeping the relationship and customer service absolutely paramount. The profits and revenues will come from the consistency and dependability provided. It’s nice to have a customer who wants you, and it’s even nicer to have a customer who needs you. My customers are the ones who can’t live without me. Find those customers.

• Let’s change hats for a bit. Our benevolent publisher has reached out to y’all to garner feedback and participation as the RN&R explores becoming a nonprofit. This is a big deal, and he wants to hear from the readers and supporters who have helped bring this paper back.

What is so important is that unlike other news pubs, this one is all about the Northern Nevada communities in which we live. It is focused on the local matters that don’t get published anywhere else, by anyone else. You could be a huge part of keeping this independent rag in business, on topic and solely for the community, as a board-driven not-for-profit. Perhaps you can help expose the next corrupt program, write

the next exposé, or …?

Should the RN&R pivot this way, there are some important foundations dedicated to nonprofit journalism that could add to the scope and depth of what the RN&R represents, along with community members who care about this incredible part of the world, especially as it continues to boom. Try to think of ways help. It can’t hurt— and it may be one of the most important things you’ve done in a while. Help, guide—or get out of the way, and just read all about it.

• If you want to meet and talk with other crazy founders and mentors about any of this, or discuss your current business challenges (confidentially, of course), then come to the award-winning BizAssembly roundtable at 9 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Innevation Center, 450 Sinclair St., in Reno. We’re launching our 13th year of helping Reno/Tahoe founders get on track—and stay on track. It’s founders helping founders; learn more at BizAssembly. org. See you there!

Home photos by Steve Ellison of LSN Studios

Are you a fan of the Reno News & Review?

If so, we want you!

We are in the process of planning the future of the paper. Whether you’ve been a RN&R fan for years, or you discovered us when we rebooted post-pandemic, we want your input.

We’re working to make sure the RN&R never goes away again. As the Gannett daily continues to wither away, our coverage is more important than ever before. We’re currently in the process of analyzing the best path forward for the RN&R—including a possible conversion to nonprofit status.

That’s where you, our super-fans, come in: We want to better understand where the RN&R fits into your life. What do you like about it? What could we do better? And how are you willing to help us secure a sustainable future? Can

UPFRONT

Wild horse advocates sue to require cameras at roundups

A national wild-horse advocacy group has filed a federal lawsuit calling for the use of cameras on helicopters, trap pens and holding pens used during roundups that remove thousands of wild horses and burros from their home ranges each year.

The Cloud Foundation’s lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Interior is aimed at addressing “the lack of transparency at roundups conducted by the Bureau of Land Management,” according to the group’s spokesperson. Helicopters are used to stampede wild horses and burros for miles, often in extreme conditions, and frequently resulting in mustangs suffering major injuries—some fatal.

A BLM roundup in Nevada in July left 31 mustangs dead in 26 days, according to the agency. The Cloud Foundation noted that horses broke their necks and legs in efforts to escape capture, and tiny foals were run to death. Members of the public are permitted to witness the gathers, but are kept at locations miles away from the trapping sites, often with obstructed views.

The use of real-time cameras was recommended in a report commissioned by BLM’s long-time roundup contractor, Cattoor Livestock Roundup: “Video monitoring of animal operations is a good way to ensure humane handling is taking place on a daily basis. Video cameras mounted in helicopters and in the capture and holding pens can also render the activists’ videos as simply nothing more than proof that your business ‘walks the walk’ when it comes to upholding animal welfare standards,” the report noted.

Nevada is home to nearly two-thirds of the 68,928 wild horses the BLM estimated on March 1 were roaming federal lands in 10 Western states. The latest Nevada roundup, which continued into August, was a “crucial gather,” the BLM noted in a court filing, because the estimate of 6,852 horses in that area of eastern Nevada is nearly 14 times what the land can ecologically sustain. The agency says roundups typically have a mortality rate of less than 1%.

—Frank X. Mullen

Silence the messenger?

TMCC lost track of more than 2,000 ‘sensitive’ computers—and is now trying to fire the employee who persisted in looking for them

Five months ago, Karalea Clough, a Truckee Meadows Community College inventory clerk, was tasked with finding hundreds of unaccounted-for computers that for years had not been properly tagged and tracked by the college’s Information Technology department.

Today, Clough is fighting to keep her job as the college administration piles on allegations against her. Between March and August, documents show, TMCC bombarded Clough with a litany of allegations and complaints—including “bullying,” insubordination and the unauthorized purchase and installation of a picnic table. Almost overnight, Clough went from a recently promoted employee who was praised for finding improperly managed college equipment to being treated like a pariah on

campus, she said.

“I feel like I’m in The Twilight Zone,” said Clough. “I don’t understand the venom and the rage. I was just doing the job that I’m required to do.”

In May, TMCC President Karin Hilgersom sent a memo taking away from the central auditing system (and Clough) the responsibility for tracking the college’s computer inventory. Hilgersom transferred the job to the IT department, the unit that lost track of the equipment after failing to attach inventory tags to the machines. In one instance last year, documents show, an IT department employee suggested an auditor simply scan a roll of the tracking tags that were supposed to be on the computers instead of locating the machines themselves.

TMCC officials declined to comment, citing the confidentiality of personnel matters. The

officials also refused to discuss the IT department’s apparent failure to properly tag and track the computers—assets considered “sensitive equipment” due to the often-confidential data they contain—because that situation is “intertwined with an ongoing, confidential” personnel matter.

“TMCC would like to emphasize that any suggestions of a policy violation or missing equipment are unfounded,” TMCC spokeswoman Kate Kirkpatrick wrote in an email to the RN&R.

Emails and other documents obtained by the RN&R confirm that Hilgersom, TMCC administrators, department heads and others last year were well aware of the hundreds of unaccounted-for computers, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. In some emails, TMCC managers referred to the machines as “missing assets.” The employees discussed the issue as a possible violation of Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) policies and procedures.

Hunting fugitive equipment System policy defines “sensitive inventory” as “a firearm or computer … regardless of value.” Those assets have special requirements, including that they are to be tagged, assigned to a “responsible person” and thereafter tracked so that their exact location on campus is always known.

In June 2022, managers at the Business Center North, NSHE’s purchasing and inventory control arm, discussed via emails the “concerning amount of missing assets,” including hundreds of computers. In an email dated Aug. 8, 2022, Vic Redding, TMCC’s vice president of administration and finance, told two other college officials that the computers “don’t appear to be currently tracked as required by NSHE policy.”

Redding noted that a college supply technician went to the IT department, and “it appears that TMCC IT was not actually tagging computers. Our (Business Center North) tech was shown a whole roll of tags in a meeting and they (TMCC IT) asked if they could just scan these (to complete the inventory report) without even looking for the actual equipment.”

A partial audit last year discovered that some of sensitive equipment assigned to TMCC’s IT Department “has not been properly tracked and accounted for.” The report said 984 items out of 1,321 on a backlog list had been located, and a small sampling of those showed that some were listed with the same serial number; several didn’t have tracking tags; and others weren’t

Karalea Clough outside of the shipping and receiving office on the Truckee Meadows Community College campus. Photo/David Robert

assigned to a responsible person and/or lacked specific locations.

In addition, the report identified 23 “fixed assets” that could not be located, including a golf cart, which Clough said wasn’t ever located. The audit department notified Hilgersom about the untracked assets in an email dated March 8. Clough, meanwhile, had been conducting the college’s annual inventory, which included looking for hundreds more untagged computers. All of the college departments cooperated with her work, she said, with the exception of the IT unit. Employees there refused to allow her to enter storage locations and repeatedly rebuffed her efforts to complete the inventory and locate untagged equipment, she said.

“They treated me as an annoyance, a nuisance,” Clough said. “They acted like they were being bothered by some underling who had no business asking them anything. They were very dismissive.”

A litany of allegations

Her troubles with the administration began in March, Clough said, when she notified Cheryl Jones, the IT department manager, that college policy makes department managers responsible for locating assets under their control. She attached a spreadsheet of the secured equipment and asked for the IT department’s assistance with the inventory process.

On March 27, Clough was called to the college’s human resources office and told that nine IT employees had accused her of “bullying.” Clough was not given any details in writing about the allegations and said her responses and subsequent counter-complaints were ignored. Meanwhile, she kept looking for untagged computers.

On May 11, Hilgersom reassigned the sensitive equipment responsibilities from the

internal auditors, including Clough, to the IT department itself.

When asked why Hilgersom gave the job to the department that had failed to track the machines as required—and where an employee asked an auditor to pretend to have found missing computers—TMCC officials told the RN&R in an email that the college doesn’t comment on “rumors.”

On May 12, the day after Hilgersom handed over audit duties to the IT staff, the college human resources department notified Clough it would be investigating the bullying complaints against her. Clough said she didn’t hear any more about the issue until late June, when she received an email asserting there was a “preponderance of evidence” that she violated a draft bullying policy. Clough said those rules had yet to be posted or distributed when the accusations were made against her. An administrator sent a “letter of instruction” to Clough, advising her of the need for a “respectful and professional manner” in interactions with other employees.

“They never explained how I wasn’t respectful and professional,” she said. “Again, there were no specifics. It’s all vague.”

Clough then filed a state whistleblower complaint, alleging that she exposed “willful mismanagement” at the college. The whistleblower process is designed to protect state employees who disclose improper governmental action from retaliation. Clough wrote that administrators and others retaliated against her in order to deflect attention from the mismanagement of assets, “including loss and theft of state-managed equipment over a period of several years.”

Kiah Beverly-Graham, TMCC’s lawyer, filed a motion to dismiss Clough’s whistleblower complaint, arguing, among other things, that Clough isn’t even a whistleblower. Beverly-Graham wrote that Clough didn’t uncover

any improper government action, because “the substance of her allegations”—that “a number of items labeled as ‘sensitive equipment’ were not properly accounted for”—were already known at the highest levels of the college and the NSHE.

Clough also filed a grievance alleging that she had been bullied by IT employees, the human resources department and Hilgersom. That complaint is pending.

Administrators leveled more accusations against Clough in July and August.

Ayodele Akinola, TMCC executive director of facilities, in an email dated July 26, alleged that Clough had given an “unauthorized directive” to the IT department, hadn’t followed procedures when she took a sick day the day before, and used college funds to purchase a picnic table for the area outside the campus’ shipping and receiving unit without “appropriate approval.” Akinola wrote that the table—which is identical to other picnic tables on campus, and which had been in place for more than three months—was installed without permission, and that its placement could endanger others.

Clough had used plastic ties to affix a small sign to the table that said: “Dedicated to the auxiliary staff, 2023.” The table, she said, was purchased with her supervisor’s approval in April and located to allow shipping and receiving employees to have lunch outside and not miss any noontime deliveries. The message was a nod to her co-workers, she said, and not a notice that no others could sit at it.

Akinola wrote that Clough has “no authority to dedicate any space on campus to anyone” and that the tiny sign was a “negligent and willful violation” of NSHE policy.

A ‘climate of fear’ and retribution

On Aug. 16, Akinola notified Clough that she is under investigation of 17 alleged violations of state regulations and policies. The notice listed allegations of disgraceful personal conduct, incompetence or inefficiency, insubordination, unauthorized absence, demeaning others, “retaliation” and other offenses. No specifics were provided, although Clough thinks the allegation of “acting in an official capacity without authorization” may be related to the picnic table.

“The allegations are cut-and-pasted right out of the employee handbook,” Clough said. “They are throwing handfuls of mud on the wall to see what sticks. … There has been continuous, relentless retaliation against me.”

Clough’s case is the latest incident during the last seven years in which TMCC employees, including faculty members, claimed they were targeted for dismissal without valid reasons.

In a letter to the Nevada Board of Regents in March 2020, signed by the Nevada Faculty Alliance presidents from all eight NSHE institutions, the authors wrote that a “climate of fear and intimidation” exists at TMCC. The

letter stated that faculty who raise questions the administration doesn’t want to hear “are seen as enemies” and become targets for retribution by the administration, led by Hilgersom.

The college’s human resources office “has been regulated to a political arm of the president, to obfuscate, mount phony complaints against targeted faculty, and shelter abhorrent presidential behavior,” according to the letter. The college’s attorney, the letter said, “seems to have become the personal attorney of the president to facilitate the same kind of harassment or cover up.”

A federal civil rights lawsuit, filed by a TMCC faculty member in January 2022, alleges that Hilgersom and others “engaged in willful retaliation and attempts to publicly humiliate him with letters of reprimand, negative annual performance evaluations and investigations,” in an attempt to harass him after he criticized changes in the college’s math curriculum.

Jim New, a TMCC professor who is president of both the college NFA chapter and statewide Nevada Faculty Alliance, said the toxic climate described in the 2020 letter continues in 2023.

“I don’t think anything dramatic has changed; people are still afraid to speak out,” he said in an interview with the RN&R on Aug. 21. He noted the Board of Regents in July voted to grant Hilgersom a one-year contract extension without evaluating her performance, because she told the board she intends to retire on July 1, 2025. Now, New said, “what’s to hold her back from settling scores? Be very careful about what you say on campus.”

Kirkpatrick, the TMCC spokeswoman, told the RN&R on Aug. 13 that the college is in compliance with all state policies and procedures and “currently has a robust and transparent sensitive equipment inventory process which fully and effectively accounts for equipment in institutional custody.” Out of 2,092 pieces of untagged equipment, she wrote, all but 96 units have been inventoried and tagged, and the remaining 96 units are in the process of being tagged.

Clough said the college’s assurances don’t reflect reality. By her counting, there are still hundreds of computers unaccounted for.

Making her employment issues public, Clough noted, will probably result in more intimidation and retaliation. But she said it’s important that the public is aware of what happens to TMCC employees when they ask unwanted questions or do something a manger doesn’t like.

“It’s a one-sided, closed-door process,” Clough said. “There is supposed to be due process, but they don’t let that happen. I stood up for myself when they tried to silence me, and people in high positions did everything they could to knock me down.

“TMCC is a public institution, and people need to know how it’s being run,” she said. “… It’s about intimidation. It’s about power.”

The sign that was attached to a picnic table which a TMCC administrator characterized as a “negligent and willful violation” of state policy. Photo/David Robert

The Ghost of Mark Twain takes a final bow

McAvoy Layne’s final performance is set for Piper’s Opera House on Sept. 30

McAvoy Layne points to a large photograph on his living room wall to illustrate a story about his son’s view of his dad’s 35-year career as the Ghost of Mark Twain.

Years ago, Layne presented his son, a San Francisco 49ers fan, with a note from Jerry Rice, the team’s star wide receiver. The slip of paper had been inserted beneath the glass of a large photo of 19th century abolitionist Frederick Douglass. The younger Layne showed off the keepsake to a friend, who studied the photo above it and asked if the bearded man was Rice. “No, that’s Frederick Douglass,” his son replied. “He’s dead. All my dad’s heroes are dead.”

The scores of portraits that peer from the walls of Layne’s Incline Village home confirm that he does have a close connection to the 19th century. Some photos and artwork portray members of Mark Twain’s family and other contemporaries—but most of the portraits are of Twain, never smiling, captured with cameras and artists’ brushes throughout his life.

Layne, even without his white suit, resembles America’s most famous humorist. He will be turning 80 on Sept. 18, and is six years older than Twain was when he died. After performing in Nevada and all over the globe, Layne is scheduled for a final stage

performance on Sept. 30 at Piper’s Opera House in Virginia City. That’s a venue where the real Twain lectured—and where Layne got his start as Twain’s specter more than three decades ago.

Over those years, the two men, living and dead, seem to have merged. Twain speaks through Layne and vice-versa. Layne said he will always remember the lessons he learned while inhabiting another man’s skin.

“He’s made me a better man,” Layne said. “He’s taught me so many things.”

As for where Twain ends and his doppelganger begins, Layne isn’t certain. “I used to know the answer to that question,” he explained, “but now I’m not sure any more.”

There are some differences—Twain loved cats while Layne favors dogs—but both men were, and are, consummate storytellers. In his one-man shows, Layne has focused on an honest portrayal of the Bard of Hannibal, Mo. He lectures—and often answers audience members’ questions—using Twain’s own words.

“I consider myself to be an educator in a costume rather than an actor,” Layne said. “I’m most effective in the classroom.” His research has encompassed not only the facts of Twain’s life, but the times he lived in, and the lives of his contemporaries. There are lessons everywhere.

Frederick Douglass, for example, helps Layne/Twain teach high school students an

McAvoy Layne: “I consider myself to be an educator in a costume rather than an actor,” Layne. I’m most effective in the classroom.”

appreciation of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, a novel that is often banned in school libraries due to a proliferation of a racial slur. The n-word used to describe Jim, who ran away from enslavement, is in contrast to Twain’s obvious sympathy for the character. When talking about the novel in classrooms, Layne said, his knowledge of Douglass and the times that he and Twain lived in “makes my job a little easier.

“When kids read it today, and they get past that word that appears 200 times and makes you want to put it aside, they realize Huckleberry Finn is a strong indictment against racism, prejudice and narrow-mindedness,” he said.

Layne still gets a thrill when he sees students respond to Twain’s wry wit. “I love it when the kids call me the ‘Twain dude,’” he said. “They like the old guy. They really do.”

Some young pupils have trouble distinguishing between Layne and the character he plays.

A student at Mark Twain Elementary School in Carson City, for example, penned a heartfelt thank-you note to the guest lecturer: “You were a great author, also a very great part of history,” the kid wrote. “Because of your greatness, you were named after my school.”

A ghost on the radio

Layne’s first 40 years laid the groundwork for his second career. In his pre-teen years, the Orinda, Calif., native visited Piper’s Opera House during a vacation. While at Disneyland, he photographed a replica of the paddle-wheeler called Mark Twain, and still treasures the image. As a child, he had a bit of Huckleberry Finn in him; he preferred being in the outdoors over practicing on a piano or watching TV. He loved swimming and diving, which led to a job as a lifeguard at Lake Tahoe and joining a swim team in college.

Layne went to Hawaii during his freshman year, but didn’t return to his studies. Instead, he joined the Marine Corps and was sent on a 13-month tour of duty in Vietnam. After his discharge, he took to the airwaves as a disc jockey in Hawaii, often working morning shows and making a name for himself as “the riddle king.”

Hawaii had surfing, but no skiing, so Layne took a trip to Lake Tahoe. There, he got stuck in a cabin nestled in five feet of snow. The cabin had firewood, food and books. Layne hunkered down to read The Complete Essays of Mark Twain, edited by Charles Neider.

He moved back to the mainland in 1983 and eventually took a job at KLKT radio in Incline Village. His interest in Twain continued. He memorized quotations and recited them while running and practicing for Iron Man competi-

tions. “At some point, I thought, ‘I can do this (perform as Twain),’” he said.

In 1986, when Halley’s Comet returned to our corner of the solar system—as it had in 1835 and 1910, the years of Twain’s birth and death—Layne was nearly ready. At a dinner celebrating his father’s 75th birthday in 1987, Layne donned a white suit and did a live show. His father, a doctor who had always been a bit worried about a son who finished his workday at noon and then went surfing or skiing, got caught in Twain’s spell. “I saw a gleam in his eyes that I’d never seen before,” Layne said. That connection enabled Layne, for the first time, to tell his father that he loved him.

The following year, the Layne/Twain train really got rolling. Carol Piper Marshall, the owner of Piper’s Opera House, booked Layne for a four-month run, doing two shows a day, six days a week. “Boy, that gave me the chance,” Layne said. “By the end of that summer in ’88, I was not ready for prime time, but I was ready to go on the road.”

He performed in many U.S. states, Germany, Russia and other corners of the planet. Like Twain, Layne has become a citizen of the world. His latest project involves using his alter ego to plead for a peaceful settlement in the Russia-Ukraine war.

In 1993, when Layne lectured at Leningrad University in Saint Petersburg, he discovered that the Russian people love Mark Twain. The Kremlin issued a Twain postage stamp in 1960, and the average Russian knows about the American humorist and his works, he said. Recently, Layne wrote a letter to the U.S. Department of State, which was translated into Russian and sent to the presidents of Russia and Ukraine. He volunteered his services as Twain to help work toward a cease fire.

“I feel a little like Don Quixote tilting at windmills,” Layne said, alluding to the classic Miguel de Cervantes book that he and Twain share as their favorite novel.

Barring a trip to a war zone, Layne plans to stay close to home. He will continue writing his “Pine Nuts” column for local publications. Twain may sometimes appear in his parlor to talk to a few guests at a time, he said. But after more than 4,000 performances, he feels he has spent enough time in front of the footlights.

So why retire now?

“A smart lady once told me that it’s better to retire two years too early than two minutes too late,” Layne said. “Go out with a bang, not with a fucking whimper.”

Mark Twain: The Bohemian of the Sagebrush, a benefit for the Comstock Foundation for History and Culture, will take place at 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 30, at Piper’s Opera House, 12 B St., in Virginia City. Tickets start at $100. For more information, visit comstockfoundation.org.

Photo/David Robert

Onto his next adventure

Oliver X remembered as a ‘powerhouse of energy and passion’

Oliver X departed for arts unknown on Aug. 13. A trail of tears and heartfelt tributes followed.

The tenacious champion of the arts in Reno died at Renown Regional Medical Center, 12 days after suffering a stroke. His partner, Shelly Brown, shared the solemn news on the GoFundMe page set up on his behalf.

“He is now soaring through the galaxy onto his next adventure,” she wrote.

The response to his passing was widespread and heartfelt.

“This is a huge loss for our community,” said Reno Mayor Hillary Schieve. “He had this unbelievable energy and genuine character about him. He really opened a lot of people’s eyes to the arts through his friendship, and

Girls invited to explore aviation careers at Reno event

Registration is under way for the Sierra Battle Born Chapter of Women in Aviation International’s second annual Girls in Aviation Day.

“(The goal) is to bring aviation to young women all over the world,” said Cmdr. Becky Calder, chapter president (in the photo with a girl who attended last year’s event). “Girls in Aviation Day introduces career and lifestyle possibilities in aviation and aerospace to girls ages 8-18.”

It’s scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Atlantic Aviation, 655 S. Rock Blvd., in Reno. Admission is free, but registration is required at www. sierrabattleborn.com. Participants can expect to meet female pilots, air-traffic controllers, mechanics, hot air balloonists and engineers; they can also take part in hands-on activities related to aviation, said Calder, the first female fighter pilot to graduate from the U.S. Navy’s TOPGUN program.

“Participants will also be able to walk around some pretty cool aircraft that we will have on the ramp,” she said. “… It’s important for girls to see people who look like them doing things they dream of doing. I hope to inspire others to go after their dreams, or whatever it is they want in life.”

Oliver X gives a thumbs-up during Artown 2023’s opening procession in July. Photo/Eric Marks (originally for This Is Reno)

once you were friends with Oliver X, you were friends forever.”

Oliver X—he had his last name legally changed to X while living in California—was the marketing director for Artown. His ability to build relationships was invaluable, executive director Beth MacMillan said.

“Oliver was very close to many artists in many genres,” she said. “He attended their events and gave advice to these performers. He had close ties with venues around town and had experience booking shows in Southern California. He really saw the good in people, was able to recognize talent and was the consummate connector and convener.

“His memory will live on in this community for a long, long time.”

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Oliver X said in a 2017 interview with artist and author Ellen Palestrant that his mother, an opera singer, sang to him “in her belly,” and after he was born, played Disney music as he slept in his crib. He grew up on the radio program CBS Mystery Theater and reruns of The Twilight Zone on television, and said he constantly created worlds of his own.

“The impossible and the invisible were my bedfellows, and reality felt like it was mine for the shaping,” he said.

He loved music, played the drums and piano, he was a street dancer in Los Angeles before going to college at UC Berkeley. His favorite place to street dance was the corner of Hollywood and Highland, which he described

as a magnet for hip-hop dancers back in the day.

He had career in civil engineering and construction management, and also as a music promoter, producer and talent booker before moving to Reno in 2008, where he made promoting the arts his life’s work.

He was the editor-publisher of Reno Tahoe Tonight magazine, an events promoter, radio personality, wearer of many hats and enthusiastic advocate for artists of all genres.

“He had a saying that ‘we should give people their flowers while they’re here,’” said longtime friend Steve Funk, who described him a powerhouse of energy and passion for the things and people he believed in. “It was his very distinct way of saying that we have to care for each other. He didn’t just say that thing. He lived that thing.”

Scores of friends and collaborators filled social media with tributes to X, citing his everpresent smile, his unique sense of humor, his variety of hats and his unwavering support of people and causes.

Reno Little Theater: “Oliver X was a fierce advocate for the arts and helped make our city a better place to live, work, and play. Our little theater was directly impacted by his generosity, enthusiasm, and kindness many times over the years and for that, we are so grateful.”

PBS Reno: “All of us at PBS Reno are saddened by the loss of Oliver X, a true friend of the community and fierce advocate of the arts.”

Washoe County: We feel this loss across our region today and join in honoring Oliver X and the contributions he made not only to the arts but also to the vitality of our community.”

Stefani Leota, artist: “Oliver IS Artown.”

Guy Clifton is a longtime local journalist, author and Nevada history buff.

Microsoft Online, Inc. currently has the following openings in Reno, NV (opportunities available at all levels, e.g., Principal, Senior and Lead levels). To access job posting, visit website address listed.

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Extreme endurance

Reno’s Owen Gray and Colorado’s Jayme Linker rowed from California to Hawaii

Owen Gray of Reno prepared to exit his cabin and change shifts with his boat partner as the pair rowed across the mid-Pacific Ocean—just as a large flying fish hopped aboard their boat, uninvited.

The fish was very upset.

“It sounded like it was right outside my door, because they go crazy when they land on the boat,” said Gray, 57.

He yelled to his rowing partner, Jayme Linker, 35, of Colorado. “I was like, ‘I’m not coming out,’” Gray said. “‘I’m not opening my door until you get that thing out of here, because it’s not coming in my cabin.’”

Linker used a broken oar—ruined by powerful waves earlier in the 2,800-mile trip—as a spatula to scoop the fish back into the ocean. Gray then took over the oars while Linker got some sleep.

That day marked the most exciting shift change in a human-powered voyage that began in Monterey, Calif., on June 12, and ended in Kuai, Hawaii, 45 days later. Gray, who rowed solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 2021, and Linker, who was on a two-rower team in that race, braved the Pacific’s wind and weather.

Gray and Linker met while training for the 2021 Atlantic rowing race, a 3,000-mile trip called the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. In that event, rowers cast off at the port of La Gomera in the Canary Islands and reach landfall on the island of Antigua in the Caribbean Sea.

Gray completed the Atlantic row in 70 days, 19 hours and 29 minutes. He was the

only American solo rower in the event and raised more than $200,000 for Okizu, a 40-year-old organization that supports families impacted by childhood cancer. This year, Gray set his sights on the World’s Toughest Row in the Pacific. There was no solo class, so he needed a partner.

It turns out Linker was looking for a boat and also planning to row across the mid-Pacific. “We started talking, and then we ended up deciding, ‘Let’s go for it,’” Gray said.

Linker’s path to world-class rowing began when she was 12, she said, and developed anorexia. She wound up in a hospital twice and was in recovery, but relapsed after she graduated from high school. “I just started getting really busy and wasn’t taking time to eat, so I got really, really sick,” Linker said. “I ended up having three heart attacks. I had hypothermia. My heart rate was in the 20s. It was not good.”

Since then, Linker has been able to keep the disorder in check by participating in extreme adventures, she said. “In order to keep myself accountable, I needed to find something to train for, because training allowed me to eat, to kind of keep the mental issues of the eating disorder at bay. I started seeking out harder and harder events, which led me to rowing the ocean.”

High tech and a bucket

She and Gray christened their team Aloha Kai, meaning “love of the sea” in Hawaiian. The pair trained individually and together. World’s Toughest Row, the organizer of the event, required teams to complete 120 hours of ocean rowing. They trained near San Francisco and off the coast of Southern California, using a

Owen Gray of Reno and his teammate, Jayme Linker, aboard their boat, Aloha Kai, as they arrive in Hawaii after rowing across the Pacific in 45 days, 6 hours and 17 minutes. Photo/World’s Toughest Row

Rannoch 25 boat named Lily. Gray bought the 24-foot boat after selling the one he used for his solo trip across the Atlantic.

Built for safety, not comfort, the boat has two small watertight sleeping enclosures, fore and aft, and is designed to self-right if it capsizes. Its high-tech electronics include solar panels, GPS navigation and satellite communications equipment. It has a fresh water-maker, a life raft and a para-anchor—kind of an underwater parachute that prevents the craft from drifting too far in the wrong direction. A bucket serves as a toilet.

When the teammates departed from Monterey on June 12, they faced an immediate challenge: large and relentless waves.

“At the beginning of the race, we got hammered pretty hard,” Gray said. “Jamie was rowing, and we had a partial knockdown, where a wave hit the side of the boat and tipped the boat enough that it broke her oar. (The oar) was made of carbon fiber, so that’s not too surprising, but we have a 3/8-inch metal plate that holds the row gate, and that got bent up. We got hit with enough force to bend an iron plate.”

The team rowed together until they escaped the choppy seas. They then shifted to a schedule of one person rowing for two hours while the other rested.

“When you’re off the oars, by the time you actually get out of your seat, go to the bathroom, sit in your cabin and try to eat, you only have, like, of the two hours, maybe an hour max of rest time,” Linker said. “But then you’re having to do everything else, so you’re not getting a lot of sleep. So physically, you’re drained. Mentally, you’re drained. Emotionally, you’re drained, because you’re not sleeping. You’re malnourished. You’re dehydrated. You just can’t keep on top of all those things as busy as you are.”

On board, Gray and Linker had clearly defined roles. Gray was in charge of navigation and a device called an “autohelm” that adjusts the rudder so the crew won’t have to keep adjusting the steering. Linker used a desalinator to convert sea water to fresh water. Both team members maintained the boat’s solar panels.

“Jayme is the polar opposite of me,” said Gray. “Where I’m the person who’s always thinking about the worst-case scenario, she’s unbridled enthusiasm. Having that dose of optimism is a nice balance for me.”

The team got to know more about each other on the trip. Topics of conversation ranged from the technical aspects of the journey, to what they missed about home, to what they were going to eat when they reached land.

“We talked about everything,” said Linker.

A lonely ocean, an angry bird

During the journey, they saw only one small sailboat sharing the vast Pacific. Unlike the Atlantic trek, when rowers encountered whales and sharks, the upset flying fish and an aggressive sea bird were their only company.

“One night, there was this attacking bird,” Linker said. “I just started screaming on the oars, because it was darting at me, and it was going on for probably 15 minutes. And it just kept swarming, and finally, I was like, ‘I can’t,’ so I threw the oars, and I went into my cabin.”

Gray’s wife, Marianne, was the team’s navigator and on-shore contact. She and Owen talked every day via a satellite phone. Marianne reported weather forecasts, what bearing to row and other vital information.

Marianne wasn’t too concerned about the perils of the sea. “Owen is super-methodical, super-particular—like, he knew that boat inside and out,” said Marianne. “There’s some inherent danger out there, but there’s inherent danger driving to the Bay Area.”

Compared to the Atlantic crossing, the journey across the Pacific was relatively monotonous. “Every morning was grey and cloudy,” Gray said. “Afternoon breaks, (then) a few hours of sunshine. Then you go back to cloudy and overcast.”

Even the waves looked the same. “The waves are never (huge), but they’re always powerful,” he said. “The Atlantic was way more varied.”

On the last leg, the pair passed through weather spawned by the tail end of Hurricane Calvin. The hurricane’s track was 150 miles

south of their course, but it still created high seas and “pretty windy stuff,” Gray said. Then their water-maker motor started dying, and water rationing began: They got one “wet” meal a day, with no showers and no laundry. They also switched to one-hour-on, one-hour-off shifts, which made resting difficult.

“It was not a lot of fun,” Gray said.

Aloha Kai arrived in Hanalei Bay on July 27, with a completion time of 45 days, 6 hours and 17 minutes. Out of 14 teams, Gray and Linker ranked 12th. They are the first U.S.-born mixedpairs team to complete the mid-Pacific row.

During the trek, Gray raised more than $116,000 for Okizu. Linker raised $8,200 for the cause of eating-disorder awareness. Along with monetary donations, corporate sponsors and organizations helped provide food for the trip, and Battle Born Batteries in Reno donated lithium batteries for the boat.

Linker plans to row back-to-back oceans in 2024. The Atlantic is first on her schedule, and then she will embark on a trek across the mid-Pacific to Hawaii. There, she plans to restock her provisions and continue across the Pacific to Australia. After that challenge, she said, she wants to row across the Indian Ocean.

Gray, back in Reno, is still decompressing from his latest journey and has no immediate plans for another ocean trek. He and Marianne, he said, are taking advantage of what’s left of summer by attending Reno Aces baseball games and going camping.

And he plans to clean up the boat and fix that broken water-maker.

Epidemic without end: A book of artwork tells tales of substance abuse—and the road to recovery

Art for Recovery, a 10-year-old community-wide event and nonprofit organization aimed at raising awareness about substance-abuse addiction and the need for accessible resources to treat it, has published a coffee-table book that celebrates the artists and artwork involved in the effort.

The full-color, 300-page book features prints of 260 artworks produced by artists who were recruited to create works depicting the darkness of addiction and brightness of recovery. Art for Recovery: A Decade of Creative Expression to Inspire Change in Treating Addiction will formally debut on Saturday, Sept. 23, at a dinner-auction scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Nevada Museum of Art, 160 W. Liberty St. in Reno. Tickets are available online at www.classy.org/event/ art-for-recovery-2023/e490114.

“Art for Recovery’s mission is as vital as ever,” said the organization and event’s founder, Stacie Mathewson, who lost her son to the opioid crisis in 2013. “This book will be an enduring testament to the need for our nation to develop more accessible and effective education and treatment for substance abuse in our communities.”

The volume with its evocative artworks is a reminder that “the crisis is real, and healthcare solutions are urgently needed,” Mathewson said.

Art for Recovery began in 2014, when the organization put out a call for artists in the area to decorate antique doors salvaged from the historic First Church of Christ, Scientist building in Reno, which was being renovated into the Lear Theater. The theme of that project was “Doors to Recovery”—encouraging people addicted to drugs or alcohol to find treatment and support, and for their families and friends to talk more openly about the disease and support efforts to develop treatment solutions.

The artist community responded: 38 doors were decorated and displayed around town that summer, then auctioned off at the Nevada Museum of Art to benefit the nonprofit Transforming Youth Recovery. That group was creating centers for information and treatment for addiction on more than 100 college campuses.

Art for Recovery continued as an annual event to raise awareness about the true nature of addiction, and to foster hope that support is available. The event expanded to include paintings, sculptures

and other media. In all, 160 artists have created 260 artworks during the past decade.

Art for Recovery is more vital than ever, Mathewson said.

“In 2023, there’s a seemingly unending epidemic of catastrophic drug misuse and abuse threatening our nation’s youth, and our society as a whole,” she said. “… Hardcore narcotics such as fentanyl have found their way not only onto the street but into schools and workplaces. The opioid crisis has upped the stakes on the perils of drug abuse.”

Mathewson’s son, Josh, was among the more than 560,000 Americans who have died from opioid overdoses in the past 20 years.

“Addiction is blind to someone’s social standing, education, ethnicity, religion or region,” she said. “It hits every group of people. And it will take all of us to turn back its rising tide.”

Art for Recovery: A Decade of Creative Expression to Inspire Change in Treating Addiction is available in standard edition ($40 plus shipping and handling) and a deluxe, slipcase edition ($100 plus shipping and handling). Each edition is hardback with foil-stamped covers. Sales of the book will benefit Transforming Youth Recovery, whose mission is investing in the future of youth and families by bringing research, solution-based programs and resources to substance-use disorders, transforming the pathway for lifetime recovery. Copies of the book can be ordered by emailing TYR@sbjreno.com

—Frank X. Mullen

Owen Gray of Reno, who rowed across the Pacific with teammate Jayme Linker, points out their course approaching Hawaii on a navigation chart.

Photo/David Robert

An image from Art for Recovery: A Decade of Creative Expression to Inspire Change in Treating Addiction.

Preparing to dig

Opponents mull legal action as work on the Thacker Pass lithium mine continues

Opponents of the open-pit lithium mine planned for Thacker Pass may attempt one more legal maneuver to defeat the project, even as construction on the mine continues at the site near the Nevada-Idaho border.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco recently denied an appeal by plaintiffs suing Lithium Americas, the corporation behind the Thacker Pass project. That appeal of a February court decision clearing the way for the mine was the culmination of a years-long fight against the project, which opponents say will destroy a sacred tribal area and cause irreparable harm to the environment, particularly water resources. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit include several Nevada tribes and tribal members, a local ranch owner, the Western Watersheds Project, WildLands Defense, Basin and Range Watch, and the Reno-based Great Basin Resource Watch.

John Hadder, executive director of Great Basin Resource Watch, said the plaintiffs are “considering options for the next legal pathway.” One option is asking that the case be reviewed by an 11-judge panel of the 9th Circuit in the hope those jurists will come to a different decision than the three judges who decided the appeal.

Construction work at the site began in March following the district court’s ruling.

Lithium Americas spokesman Tim Crowley said that “early works construction” is under way at the mine site, which includes installing water lines and troughs, and doing grading work. The company’s goal, he said,

is for the mine to be in production by 2026. General Motors is contracted to purchase Lithium Americas’ entire product for 10 years after initial production begins. Lithium Americas predicts it will produce enough lithium to power 1 million GM cars every year.

Hadder said he is hopeful that if the appeal is reconsidered by the court, a majority of judges will find fault with the federal permitting process that approved the mine. The plaintiffs argue that the Bureau of Land Management, the agency that approved the project, assumed Lithium Americas had a valid mining claim at the site without performing an analysis to make sure that valid claim existed. The BLM’s assumption carries significant weight, he said, because it allowed the mining company to forgo a full environmental review of the project.

Hadder compared the Thacker Pass permitting process to the one used for a molybdenum mine at Mount Hope, near Eureka. The 9th Circuit vacated that project’s environmental impact statement based on the lack of a valid mining claim. The BLM then issued a supplemental impact statement, which also was challenged by Great Basin Resource Watch. In March, a federal judge in Reno vacated the approval of the Mount Hope mine. That decision was based on the BLM’s failure to prepare an analysis to determine whether valuable mine deposits existed at Mount Hope in the first place.

In May 2022, the 9th Circuit upheld a lower court’s invalidation of the Rosemont Mine, a proposed open-pit copper project near Tucson, Ariz. The appeals court held that the mining company’s claims were baseless, a decision also

Indigenous people from across Northern Nevada and their allies at a rally in Reno City Plaza protesting the Thacker Pass lithium mine project on June 12, 2021. Photo/Frank X. Mullen

connected to assumptions about the site made by the U.S. Forest Service.

Those cases involved molybdenum and copper, and Hadder said he is concerned about federal pressure on judges and legislatures to relax standards on lithium, which has a critical role in weaning the nation off fossil fuels.

“The end use of the mineral needs to be de-coupled from the environmental analysis,” Hadder said.

Court sided with the BLM

In its decision, the appeals court noted it was satisfied the BLM conditioned its approval on Lithium Americas’ compliance with monitoring groundwater sources, according to Nevada’s environmental and human-consumption standards. The court found that the BLM properly addressed the impacts noted in the final environmental impact study and provided supporting data. The judges wrote that the agency had a “reasonably complete discussion of possible mitigation measures” for any impacts on groundwater and wildlife and was in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.

The court swept aside the tribes’ assertions that the BLM’s identification of which tribes to consult with was “arbitrary and capricious.” The ruling said the decision was in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, “because the BLM reasonably and in good faith identified tribes for consultation.”

The 9th Circuit concluded that the BLM took a “requisite ‘hard look’ at impacts on cultural resources” in compliance with federal law by identifying and documenting historic properties “through archival background research and by conducting intensive pedestrian inventories.” The three tribes consulted by the mining company, the court noted, did “not raise any concerns about specific traditional areas, sacred sites, or ceremonial areas or activities in the project area.”

The tribes involved in the lawsuit also argued that the mine should not have been approved, because it is planned near the site of two massacres of Indigenous people. One occurred prior to colonization. The other happened in September 1865, when Nevada Cavalry volunteers murdered at least 31 Paiutes, including elderly people and children, as they slept in shelters near Thacker Pass.

Neither the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony nor the Fort McDermitt Tribal Council, both plaintiffs in the lawsuit, returned calls asking for comment the ruling.

Katie Fite, of Boise-based WildLands Defense, said in an email to the RN&R that the

controversy over the Thacker Pass lithium mine “has awakened the public to the dirty underbelly of what’s been branded as ‘clean energy’—it’s the same old hard-rock mining destruction of wildlife habitat, cultural sites and beautiful wild places. It’s the same old pollution of air and water and sucking the land dry. To top it all off, Lithium Americas, who started out claiming this was a different kind of ‘green mine,’ filed a vile … lawsuit against protesters standing up for the land and their beliefs.”

In May, members of the Fort McDermitt Paiute and Shoshone Tribe, the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, Reno-Sparks Indian Colony and the Oglala Sioux Tribe blocked construction equipment and raised a tipi in the path of a water pipe set for installation. Lithium Americas called the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, and deputies twice went to the site, arresting one protestor who allegedly refused to leave the construction site, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal

Firm touts ‘green’ energy

Lithium Americas asserts it is a leader in the environmental movement because the firm is mining a mineral that reduces reliance on combustion engines.

Glenn Miller, a professor emeritus in the Natural Resources and Environmental Science at the University of Nevada, Reno, is a proponent of the project. The lithium mine, he said, is “the most benign mine I have seen in 40 years.” Miller noted that no blasting is required; the waste is dry rather than wet, which prevents acid leeching into ground water; and the waste is near neutral, because much of it is magnesium sulfate, which can be sold for fertilizer.

The company’s pilot facility in Reno is in a large, clean warehouse on Corporate Boulevard. The engineers inside are designing lithium-processing procedures on prototype equipment. They test processes from beginning to end on small machines, they said, so when they arrive at the mine site, the procedures are reliable and verifiable.

Engineers Jerren Bailey and Devron Gonzalez, both University of Nevada, Reno, graduates, said they are thrilled to be on the edge of technology, processes and products that will contribute to environmental protection. They demonstrated how lithium is extracted from clay, mixed with water and taken through a process that removes impurities.

Each drop of water will be used seven times when processing the lithium ore, Crowley said. Backhoes will dig the pit to a maximum depth of 450 feet to reach clay deposits, rather than using blasting as is done in hard-rock mining. The mine pits, he said, will be backfilled after mineral extraction.

Frank X. Mullen contributed to this report.

Planets and Bright Stars in Evening Mid-Twilight

For September, 2023

This sky chart is drawn for latitude 40 degrees north, but may be used in continental U.S. and southern Canada.

September’s evening sky chart. Illustration/Robert D. Miller

but has shrunk to 33 arcseconds across. In midSeptember, Venus reaches its greatest brilliancy, at magnitude -4.8. That’s bright enough to spot with the unaided eye in daylight, 27° to 44° to the upper right of rising sun.

Jupiter, shining at magnitude -2.6 to -2.8, next-brightest after Venus, also is well seen these mornings. Look high in the southwest quadrant of the sky as twilight brightens. On Sept. 4, Venus ends retrograde (westward) against the starry background, while Jupiter begins its nearly four months of backward apparent motion as Earth prepares to overtake it in early November. On Sept. 4, these two brightest planets are at their least separation during their current morning apparition, 86.5° apart. The separation widens to 90° on Sept. 17. On Sept. 25, Spaceship Earth will aim its motion just above the star Eta in Gemini, marking the toe of Castor, one of the Twins—midway between Venus and Jupiter that morning. The bright planets will appear 120° apart by Oct. 22. On Dec. 10, Venus and Jupiter will be nearly 180° apart, barely above opposite horizons, more than three hours before sunrise. What will be the last date you can see Venus and Jupiter simultaneously before then?

September skies

The morning skies offer beautiful views of bright planets—and much more

On Sept. 2, as Earth traces its nearly circular orbit around the sun, our home planet is heading toward a point 5° above Aldebaran, eye of Taurus, in the morning sky, and receding from a point 5° above Antares, heart of Scorpius, in the evening sky.

This orbital motion causes the sun to appear to move through the constellations of the zodiac. In just three months, in early December, the Earth will have traveled a quarter of the way around its orbit. Antares will then be hidden from view on the far side of the sun, while Aldebaran will be at opposition, nearly 180° from the sun, and will appear low in the east-northeast at dusk; high in the south in the middle of the night; and low in the west-northwest at dawn. The motion of the Earth around the sun is the cause of the seasonal drift of stars from east to west.

While the visibility of stars repeats on

an annual cycle, the planets have periods of revolution around the sun differing from Earth’s, so their positions in the sky do not repeat at oneyear intervals. September 2023 is an especially good month for rising before dawn to enjoy the planets. Venus recently passed between Earth and the sun, and is now ascending quickly into the eastern predawn sky. On Sept. 1, it rises nearly two hours before the sun, and by the 30th, nearly 3.5 hours before. On the near side of its orbit this month, Venus is backlighted by the sun, and shows crescent phases, easily visible through binoculars—if you look not long before sunrise, or even after, to avoid the contrast of brilliant Venus against a darker sky. On Sept. 1, the Venus crescent is 12 percent full and 50 arcseconds across, larger than any other planet ever appears. During September, Venus recedes from 31 million to 48 million miles from Earth. By Sept. 30, the crescent fills out to 36 percent—

Sirius, at magnitude -1.4 in the southeastern sky in morning twilight, ranks next in brightness. Between Venus and Jupiter, look for the huge “Winter Hexagon,” in clockwise order Sirius, Procyon, the “Twins” Pollux and Castor, Capella, Aldebaran, Rigel and back to Sirius.

Two objects follow Venus into the eastern sky during September. Binoculars will help you spot Regulus, heart of Leo, emerging 19° to the lower left of Venus in morning twilight Sept. 4-9. By Sept. 16, Regulus is much easier to spot, 16° to the lower left of Venus. Mercury, which passed inferior conjunction nearly between Earth and the sun on Sept. 6, brightens to magnitude +0.8 by Sept. 16 and is 8° below Regulus. During Sept. 16-20, Mercury lingers 23° to Venus’ lower left and brightens to magnitude zero. On Sept. 22, Mercury appears highest in twilight, in its best morning apparition of the year. By Sept. 30, Mercury shines at magnitude -1 and is nearly 30° to the lower left of Venus. Mercury is 3° lower in twilight than on Sept. 22, but is still easy to see.

Visible through binoculars in dark skies, Uranus, at magnitude 5.7, is about halfway between Jupiter and the Pleiades star cluster in September, about 8° to 9° from each. Look for 4.4-magnitude star Delta in Aries in that approximate location, and then find Uranus 2.9° to 2.6° southeast of it this month. We’re planning to post finder charts for Uranus and Neptune at www.abramsplanetarium.org/msta/ by midSeptember.

| BY ROBERT VICTOR

Neptune is at opposition on the night of Sept. 18-19. It’s very faint, magnitude 7.7, so it’s best seen within about two hours of the time when it’s highest, in the middle of the night, which occurs around 1 a.m. at mid-month. With binoculars, look for the six-star asterism we’re calling Neptune’s Dipper, comprising the stars 20, 24, 27, 29, 33 and 30 in Pisces, of magnitude 4.4 to 5.9, located south-southeast of the Circlet of Pisces, and north-northwest of Iota in Cetus. The entire asterism fits into a binocular field 5 1/4° across. Its northernmost star, 5.5-magnitude 20 Piscium, marks the end of the dipper’s handle. Neptune is retrograding, moving from eastnortheast to west-southwest past the star. On the morning of Sept. 9, Neptune is 6’ (arcminutes) or 0.1° northeast of 20 Psc. On the night of Sept. 1112, including the morning of Sept. 12, Neptune passes only 3.7 arcminutes (about 0.06°) northnorthwest of the star. By the morning of Sept. 23, Neptune has moved 0.3° west-southwest of 20 Psc. Don’t confuse Neptune with the brighter 7.3-magnitude star HIP 117112, 57 arcminutes, or nearly one degree west-southwest of 20 Psc. Evening sky: Saturn is the only planet now visible to the unaided eye at dusk. Look for it in the east-southeast to southeast. Telescopically, its ring system now appears almost as wide as the disk of Jupiter, and the rings are tipped 9° to 10° from edgewise. Saturn, at magnitude 0.5 to 0.6, ranks next after golden Arcturus in the west, and blue-white Vega nearly overhead, both stars shining near magnitude zero. Other bright stars at dusk include Altair and Deneb, completing the Summer Triangle with Vega; reddish Antares in the south-southwest to southwest; and Spica in the west-southwest, 33° to the lower left of Arcturus.

The moon, full near Saturn on Aug. 30, rises soon after twilight ends on Sept. 2. In the morning sky, watch the moon hover near Jupiter on Sept. 4; pass the Pleiades, Aldebaran and Elnath in Taurus Sept. 5-7; Pollux and Castor in Gemini on Sept. 9 and 10; widely north of Venus on Sept. 11; and skip past Regulus on Sept. 12 and 13. On Sept. 16, Mars, to the lower right of a thin crescent moon very low in the west in bright twilight, will be a serious challenge for binoculars. Spica, to lower right of the moon on the next evening, will be easier. Catch Antares near the moon on Sept. 20, and Saturn near the moon on Sept. 26.

Autumn begins on Sept. 22 at 11:50 p.m., making the full moon of the night of Sept. 28-29 the harvest moon. For the next few evenings, watch the moon rise not much later each night, and farther north each time.

Robert Victor originated the Abrams Planetarium monthly Sky Calendar in October 1968 and still helps produce an occasional issue. He enjoys being outdoors sharing the beauty of the night sky and other wonders of nature.

Stereographic Projection Map by Robert D. Miller

Think Free!

If the glacier that formed the basin had continued another couple of miles, Fallen Leaf Lake would have been another outcropping of Lake Tahoe, just like Emerald Bay. Photo/

into the waters of the lake, if you have the right diving certifications. If that’s not your jam, plenty of other recreation opportunities abound. Paddling on this lake can be very enjoyable, particularly in the still mornings before the wind picks up, along the moresheltered western shore. Motorized boats are allowed, with plenty of room for waterskiing and other high-octane sports. Though there are no designated swimming areas in the lake, plenty of spots offer easy entry into the water. If you’re looking for an adventure, some hidden cliffs can be found along one area of the lake. While people sometimes jump off of these cliffs into the deep water below, it’s dangerous and not recommended—but the view from the top is still worth the visit.

Mountain beauty

Fallen Leaf Lake offers almost everything that Tahoe does—without the massive crowds

As summer winds down and the mountain air turns crisp, there’s still plenty of fun to be had on long days. Lake Tahoe is calling— but its smaller neighbor, Fallen Leaf Lake, has just as much to offer the intrepid explorer.

Located about a mile from the southwestern shores of Tahoe, near Emerald Bay, Fallen Leaf Lake is ringed in trees and full of recreational opportunities on, in and around its clear, cool waters.

There are several roads leading to Fallen Leaf Lake, but the main one is a turn off of Highway 89 near Camp Richardson. A short drive down this U.S. Forest Service road will bring you to the campground managed by the USFS Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, with more than 200 campsites within easy walking distance of the lake. This large campground supports both tents and RVs, with electricity hookups, restrooms with flush toilets, coinoperated showers and potable water.

Trails wind through the area, offering picturesque views of the oblong alpine lake. A walk along the shore offers a glimpse

into the geological history of the Tahoe Basin; the lake was formed by the gradual scraping of glaciers. The many small hills surrounding the lake are moraines—leftover piles of gravel, stones and other debris picked up by glaciers and deposited along their edges. If the glacier that formed the basin had continued another couple of miles, Fallen Leaf Lake would have been another outcropping of Lake Tahoe, just like Emerald Bay, which was formed the same way.

In previous colder eras, the basin containing Fallen Leaf Lake was dry and supported a forest environment, similar to the one surrounding the lake today. As the Earth warmed, and the Tahoe Basin filled with water, Fallen Leaf Lake also filled. There is evidence of this ancient forest being abruptly covered by water, as a forest of now-petrified trees is preserved well below the surface of the lake. This unique feature has protected status and can only be viewed by divers heading deep beneath the surface. While standing along the shores of the lake, it’s easy to imagine how different it may have appeared thousands of years ago.

Local companies can guide you on a dive

Exploring the trails around the lake is a pleasant, and usually less-crowded, way to spend some time in Tahoe’s woods. Longer trails hikes can be found as well, including a hike up and along Angora Ridge to the south. The trailhead to the top of Mount Tallac is nearby—but be sure to do the appropriate research and preparation before tackling this grueling climb.

Fallen Leaf Lake is connected to Lake Tahoe via Taylor Creek. This connection allows some fish to travel between the two lakes—most notably, the kokanee salmon. This non-native species has become a local favorite to watch in the fall. Closer to the Tahoe end of Taylor Creek, a U.S. Forest Service visitor center and paved footpaths provide up-close looks at the annual upstream migration of this bright pink and red salmon. As they head toward Fallen Leaf Lake, these salmon present a colorful show to anyone watching, for several weeks around the end of September and beginning of October. They’re also a favorite food of the local black bear population, so be aware of your surroundings!

Just up the road is Camp Richardson, another campground, set of beaches and historical site. If you find yourself camping at Fallen Leaf Lake on a hot day, the seasonal ice cream shop at Camp Richardson may just have the afternoon treat you’re craving.

Though it’s hidden in the trees and sometimes forgotten about, Fallen Leaf Lake offers all the best activities of summer and fall. From camping and hiking to swimming and fishing, this nearby alpine lake is steeped in natural beauty and is a great place for a day trip or a weekend escape.

Maggie Nichols

The last one showering shouldn’t be left in the cold! GO TANKLESS.

Life these days can be … well, fraught. Climate change. Political strife. Pandemics. Labor unrest. We could go on, but you get the point.

For the next 32 pages, put all of those thoughts aside—because the purpose of the Best of Northern Nevada is CELEBRATION.

The winners, finalists and staff picks listed on these pages represent the myriad things that make Reno, Sparks, Carson City, Minden, Gardnerville, Truckee, Incline Village and Lake Tahoe such a spectacular place to live—and they deserve to be celebrated.

You, our amazing readers, also deserve to be celebrated. More than 7,000 of you voted in our final round; thank you for taking the time to do so.

For this year’s theme, we took inspiration from some of Northern Nevada’s best festivals, events and celebrations. As the saying goes, you only live once— and we’re incredibly blessed to live in such a vibrant, cultured, beautiful place.

Welcome to the Best of Northern Nevada 2023.

—The Editors

Thank you for all your votes and continued support throughout the years! We enjoy serving you all!

BEST VEGETARIAN FOOD

Great Full Gardens

2. Laughing Planet

3. The Fix

4. Thali

5. Noble Pie Parlor

BEST SALAD

Great Full Gardens

2. Sup

3. Saladworks

4. Liberty Food & Wine Exchange

5. Noble Pie Parlor

BEST JAPANESE RESTAURANT

Ijji 2

2. Ichiban Japanese Steak House

3. Kauboi Izakaya

4. Haru

BEST DOUGHNUTS/PASTRIES

DoughBoys Donuts

2. Perenn Bakery

3. Donut Bistro

4. Sprinkle Donuts

BEST COFFEE ROASTER

Hub Coffee Roasters

2. Old World Coffee Lab

3. Magpie Coffee Roasters

4. Midnight Coffee Roasting

5. No City Coffee

BEST BURGER

Juicy’s Giant Hamburgers

2. Burger Me!

3. Beefy’s

4. Royce

5. Lucky Beaver Bar & Burger

BEST BASQUE RESTAURANT

Louis’ Basque Corner

2. J T Basque Bar & Dining Room

3. The Martin Hotel (Winnemucca)

4. Villa Basque Cafe

BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANT

Atlantis Oyster & Sushi Bar on the Sky Terrace

2. Oceano at the Peppermill

3. Smee’s

4. Nugget Oyster Bar

BEST JUICE/JUICE BAR

Keva Juice

2. Jüs

3. Jamba Juice

4. Nekter Juice Bar

5. Morning Glory Juice

BEST PRIX FIXE

Fourk Kitchen

4991 S. Virginia St., Reno

Fourk Kitchen is a restaurant concept created by Paul Jansen, an executive chef, restaurateur and 24-year military veteran. Here’s how it works: For $54 a person, you receive four set courses; the menu changes each month, and you can buy optional beer and wine pairings. (You know I am all about the wine.)

Fourk Kitchen is open four nights a week, Wednesday through Saturday, opening for happy hour at 5:30 p.m. (during which beer and wine is 24 percent off). All guests— reservations are required—must arrive by 6:15, and dinner starts at 6:30. There’s just one seating of 24 people per night.

BEST WHISKEY/BOURBON/ SCOTCH SELECTION

Death and Taxes

2. Whiskey Lounge

3. Chapel Tavern

4. Ceol Irish Pub

5. Pure Country Canteen

BEST FRENCH FRIES

BJ’s Nevada Barbecue Company

2. Noble Pie Parlor

3. 775 Eats

4. Slater’s Ding-a-Wing

5. Silver Rush Grill

The menu for September: Cobb salad; chipotle mac and cheese, with bacon and a panko topping; Peruvian chicken with aji amarillo sauce and corn elote; and, for dessert, doughnut tiramisu.

For just $54, it’s an amazing experience. Trust me.

—Steve Noel

BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Los Compadres

2. Miguel’s Mexican Restaurant

3. Anna’s Mexican Grill

4. El Adobe Cafe

5. Mexcal

BEST COFFEE

The Human Bean

2. Hub Coffee Roasters

3. Coffeebar

4. Old World Coffee

5. No City Coffee

BEST STEAK

Western Village Steakhouse

2. Texas Roadhouse

3. Ruth’s Chris

4. Bimini at the Peppermill

5. Ruby River

BEST HAWAIIAN RESTAURANT

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue

2. Kenji’s

3. Aloha Shack

4. Lili’s Restaurant & Bar

5. Kika’s All Kine Grindz

BEST TRUCKEE RESTAURANT Bar of America

2. Squeeze In

3. Jax at the Tracks

4. Pianeta

5. Great Gold

BEST CHEF

Mark Estee, various

2. Jonathan Chapin, Reno Recipes

3. Chris Garcia, Noble Pie

4. Brett Moseley

BEST ‘YOU DID ALL YOUR ERRANDS’ TREAT

The Banana Chocolate Milkshake at Scoopers

1356 Prater Way, Sparks

4040 Kietzke Lane, Reno

It’s a Thursday afternoon. You left work early to go to the dentist, and they said your teeth are perfect—no cavities. You just returned 40% of the items sitting in your trunk that needed returning. You even went to the post office and mailed three whole actual envelopes of mail.

You, my friend, deserve a little treat. Not just any little treat—an “I did all my errands, and now I get a little treat” treat.

The king of little treats is made at the historic drive-in restaurant Scoopers, which has served our community since 1980. At Scoopers, you can find a near-perfect ice cream treat: the chocolate banana milkshake, made from soft-serve ice cream, chocolate sauce and ripe bananas. This blended and lush dairy sensation perfectly balances sweet and tropical.

The Scoopers milkshake is well-crafted, remaining thick and drinkable to the last velvety-rich chocolate drop. Each sip sends you down a slide of chilly refreshing nostalgia, as the pops of soft, sweet banana add a slight toothsome textural surprise. It’s perfect for a hot day cool-down—or a winter reminder of summer love.

While there are tons of fantastic milkshake flavor combinations to try—considering there are 45 different flavors one could mix and match—the chocolate banana milkshake is a perfect thing in an imperfect world, and quite an ideal treat for doing some adulting.

—Michael Moberly

BEST CHICKEN WINGS

Noble Pie Parlor

2. Slater’s Ding-a-Wing

3. Wingstop

4. JJ’s Pie Company

5. Aloha Shack

6. Legends Grill Sports & Spirits

BEST LATE-NIGHT DINING

Flowing Tide Pub

2. Gold N Silver

3. Noble Pie Parlor

4. Homegrown Gastropub

5. The Parlor

6. Coach’s Grill and Sports Bar

BEST FINE DINING

Western Village Steakhouse

2. Johnny’s Ristorante Italiano

3. Atlantis Steakhouse

4. Beaujolais Bistro

5. Lulou’s

BEST ROMANTIC RESTAURANT

Beaujolais Bistro

2. Western Village Steakhouse

3. Johnny’s Ristorante Italiano

4. Wild River Grille

5. Atlantis Steakhouse

6. Roxy at the Eldorado

BEST CARSON CITY RESTAURANT

Red’s Old 395 Grill

2. Sassafras Eclectic Food Joint

3. Nashville Social Club

4. The Basil

BEST SPARKS RESTAURANT

Western Village Steakhouse

2. BJ’s Nevada Barbecue Company

3. Great Basin Brewing Company

4. Sparks Water Bar

5. IMBĪB Eats & Drinks

6. David’s Grill at Red Hawk Golf & Resort

BEST KHAO SOI GAI

Rice Box Kitchen

555 S Virginia St., No. 103, Reno

Khao soi is a traditional northern Thai dish consisting of boiled and fried egg noodles, meat and veggies in a yellow curry-like broth. While it may sound simple, the flavors are bright and savory at Rice Box Kitchen, located in Midtown.

Prepared with house-made ingredients, Rice Box Kitchen’s khao soi consists of regular or fried chicken “cooked in a spicy, warming and aromatic paste,” which then simmers with vegetables in a coconut-milk broth. Finally, boiled egg noodles are added with fried noodles gracing the top; sides consisting of pickled veggies are offered. The result is a delicious creamy dish, full of plentiful meat and noodles. Rice Box Kitchen’s khao soi gai is as close to being in Thailand as you can get here in Reno.

If you’ve yet to give Rice Box Kitchen’s khao soi gai a go, do yourself a favor, and head over to Midtown. Finding parking is worth it!

Owner Perapol Damnernpholkul also recently opened Noodle Box Kitchen, specializing in—you guessed it—noodle dishes, at 490 S. Center St.

—Loryn Elizares

BEST MINDEN/GARDNERVILLE RESTAURANT

J.T. Basque Bar & Dining Room

2. Minden Meat and Deli

3. Overland Restaurant & Pub

BEST BAGEL

Truckee Bagel Company

2. My Favorite Muffin

3. Desert Sun Bagel Co.

BEST FRENCH

Beaujolais Bistro

2. Le Bistro

3. Z Bistro

RESTAURANT

BEST WINE BAR

Whispering Vine

2. Craft Wine and Beer

3. Napa Sonoma

4. Midtown Spirits Wine & Bites

5. Blackrock Wine Co.

BEST FROZEN YOGURT

Yogurt Beach

2. Tuk Tuk Yum Yum

3. Honey Treat

4. sweetFrog Premium

Frozen Yogurt

BEST BREAKFAST

Two Chicks

2. Peg’s Glorified Ham and Eggs

3. Stone House Cafe

4. Squeeze In

5. The Cup Café

BEST SMOOTHIE

Keva Juice

2. Jamba Juice

3. Jus

4. Nekter Juice Bar

BEST RESTAURANT WORTH THE LONG WAIT

Two Chicks

2. Squeeze In

3. Tokyo Sushi

4. Kauboi Izakaya

5. Arario

6. Noble Pie Parlor

BEST GREEK RESTAURANT

Niko’s Greek Kitchen

2. Nick’s Greek Deli

3. Aladdin’s Market & Kitchen

4. Claio

5. Wrap It Up

BEST HOT DOG

Costco

2. Sinbad’s

3. Bam!Dog

4. Coney Island Hot Dogs & Burgers

5. IMBIB Eats and Drinks

BEST MARGARITA

Los Compadres

2. Miguel’s Mexican Restaurant

3. El Adobe Cafe

4. Mari Chuy’s Mexican Kitchen

5. Casa Grande

BEST CATERING COMPANY TIE

Roundabout Catering

The Cheese Board

3. Cherry Bomb Catering

4. BJ’s Nevada Barbecue Company

5. Aloha Shack

BEST SALAD BAR

Whole Foods

2. Toucan Charlie’s Buffet & Grille at the Atlantis

3. TIE

Churrasco Brazilian Steakhouse Saladworks

BEST SUSHI

Tha Joint

2. Tokyo Sushi

3. Hinoki Sushi

4. Ohana Sushi

5. CJ Palace

BEST OUTDOOR DINING

Wild River Grille

2. Stone House Cafe

3. Sparks Water Bar

4. Noble Pie Parlor

5. David’s Grill at Red Hawk Golf and Resort

BEST FOOD TRUCK

Daddy’s Tacos NV

2. Slater’s Ding-a-Wing

3. 775 Eats

4. NOLA Sliders

5. Marcolino’s Italia

6. Silver Rush Grill

BEST TAHOE RESTAURANT

Gar Woods Grill & Pier

2. Jake’s on the Lake

3. Lone Eagle Grill

4. Chart House

5. Soule Domain

Most Vietnamese restaurants offer just one kind of banh mi sandwich, usually with sliced pork as the protein.

But King’s Sandwiches, in northwest Reno, is a take-out only shop that offers a variety of Vietnamese sandwiches, as well as other delicacies you may not be able to find elsewhere. Banh mi sandwiches are served on French bread and resemble mini sub sandwiches, and can contain a variety of ingredients, with King’s offerings including cold jambon ham, sliced pork, barbecued

pork, shredded pork and roasted pork. Some sandwiches include pâté, head cheese and other treats. There’s even a vegetarian sandwich.

The takeout eatery’s menu also features traditional spring rolls, barbecue rice noodles, and “pâté chaud,” a savory Vietnamese pastry. Drinks include fruit frappes, boba tea and boba slushies. Prices range from $7 for sandwiches to $13 for the most expensive non-sandwich offering.

—Frank X. Mullen

BEST POTATOES

Claio

3886 Mayberry Drive, Suite D, Reno

The menu at this comfortable, fashionable West Reno eatery—the brainchild of Aubrey and Tyler O’Laskey of Perenn Bakery fame—is limited but mouthwatering.

Greek basics like rotisserie lamb, roast chicken, hummus and griddled pita are complex and indulgent while still hitting the comfort-food high notes. But if I could give you only one piece of advice, it would be this: Don’t overlook the potatoes.

The chefs here scoop up the seemingly infinite supply of schmaltz that drips from crackling, golden-brown chickens turning in a gleaming, multi-story rotisserie and use it to fry what may well be the crispiest potatoes anyone in Reno dares to serve. The crunch level is several notches above that of the crispiest French fry—but these spuds are still tender and steamy inside, and the sprinkling of oregano is perfect.

I would have still declared this place Potato Side Dish Heaven if they’d just stopped there, but Claio cranks these taters up to 11 with a side of rich, garlicky toum for dipping..

—Kris Vagner

BEST SOUPS

Sup

2. Great Full Gardens

3. 999 Pho

BEST RENO RESTAURANT

Arario

2. Washoe Public House

3. Liberty Food & Wine Exchange

4. TIE

Noble Pie Parlor

Beaujolais Bistro

MARTINI

BEST BAKERY

Perenn Bakery

6. R Town Pizza

7. Lulou’s Restaurant

BEST

Roxy at the Eldorado

2. Chapel Tavern

3. Fireside Lounge at the Peppermill

4. Emerson 5. Arario

2. Josef’s Vienna Bakery & Cafe

3. My Favorite Muffin

4. Homage

5. LA Bakery Café & Eatery

Best Doughnuts/Pastries: DoughBoys Donuts. Photo/David Robert

BEST PIZZA FOR PEOPLE WHO DON’T LIKE PIZZA

The Moustache Ride at Eclipse Pizza Company

3950 Mayberry Drive, Reno

I have to admit that I’m not a big fan of pizza. (Yeah, I know that makes me unusual.) I’ve always viewed pizza as a greasy disc with some sort of suspicious meat, semi-baked atop yellowed gelatinous blobs of flavorless cheese—all of which is laden with fat and sodium.

Well, Eclipse Pizza Company has recalibrated my tastebuds.

Each bite of the Moustache Ride pizza is a delicious succulent mouthful of homemade tomato sauce, pesto, chicken, mozzarella, onions, spinach, Roma tomatoes, Parmesan and a zing of red pepper flakes. This pizza totally changed my mind!

—David Robert

BEST DESSERTS

Josef’s Vienna Bakery & Cafe

2. Black Rock Desserts

3. Cheesecake Factory

4. Liberty Food & Wine Exchange

5. Bouchee Confections

BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT

Kwok’s Bistro

2. Palais de Jade

3. CJ Palace

4. P.F. Chang’s

5. Shanghai Bistro

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT

Johnny’s Ristorante Italiano

2. Casale’s Halfway Club

3. Mario’s Portofino

4. Zozo’s Ristorante

5. Marcolino’s Italia

BEST THAI RESTAURANT

Bangkok Cuisine

2. TIE

Moo Dang

Thai Lotus

4. Thai Chili

5. Sawasdee Thai

6. The Basil

BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT

India Kabab & Curry

2. Taste of India

3. Bawarchi Indian Cuisine

4. Thali

5. Royal India Cuisine

6. Haveli Indian Cuisine & Bar

BEST VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT

Golden Flower

2. Pho 777

3. 999 Pho

4. Pho La Mint

BEST BARBECUE RESTAURANT

BJ’s Nevada Barbecue Company

2. Brothers Barbecue

3. Carolina Kitchen & BBQ Co.

4. TIE

Famous Dave’s

Butcher’s Kitchen Char-B-Que

BEST PIZZA

Blind Onion Pizza and Pub

2. Noble Pie Parlor

3. Smiling With Hope

4. Grimaldi’s

5. R Town Pizza

BEST MIDDLE EASTERN/ AFRICAN RESTAURANT

Aladdin’s Market & Kitchen

2. Zagol Ethiopian

3. Silk Road

BEST WINE LIST

Whispering Vine

2. Napa Sonoma

3. Craft Wine and Beer

4. Blackrock Wine Co.

5. Archive Wine + Beer

BEST VEGAN FOOD

Great Full Gardens

2. Laughing Planet

3. The Fix

4. Thali

5. Noble Pie Parlor

BEST GLUTEN-FREE DINING

Great Full Gardens

2. Arario

3. R Town Pizza

4. Noble Pie Parlor

BEST SANDWICH SHOP

Full Belly Deli

2. Deli Towne USA

3. Port of Subs

4. Michael’s Deli

5. Beach Hut Deli

BEST BRUNCH

Stone House Cafe

2. Two Chicks

3. Squeeze In

4. Toucan Charlie’s Buffet & Grille at the Atlantis

5. Noble Pie Parlor

BEST BLOODY MARY TIE

Squeeze In

Two Chicks

3. PJ’s

4. Chapel Tavern

5. Noble Pie Parlor

6. BJ’s Nevada Barbecue Company

BEST CHEAP EATS

In-N-Out Burger

2. Gold N Silver

3. Flowing Tide Pub

4. Noble Pie Parlor

5. Coach’s Grill and Sports Bar

BEST FARMERS’ MARKET

Riverside Farmers’ Market

2. Village Market on California Avenue

3. Sparks United Methodist Church Farmer’s Market

4. Carson Farmers Market

Best Thai Restaurant: Bangkok Cuisine. Photo/David Robert

BEST MONTHLY EVENT

Food Truck Fridays

2. Drag Brunch With the Twampsons

3. First Thursday at the Nevada Museum of Art

4. Reno Wine Walk

5. Midtown Reno First Thursdays

6. April & Friends Songwriters Showcase Series

BEST LOCAL PODCAST

Worst Little Podcast

2. Renoites

3. Sparks Museum Podcast

BEST RADIO STATION

K-BULL 98.1 FM

2. KUNR Public Radio

3. Rock 104.5 KDOT

4. Alice 96.5

5. 105.7 KOZZ

6. Alt 92.1 (KRAT)

7. KWNK 97.7

BEST CENTURY-OLD MUSEUM YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT

W.M. Keck Earth Science and Mineral Engineering Museum

Mackay School of Mines Building, University of Nevada, Reno

The Keck Museum opened in 1908 in the then-new Mackay Mines Building—and one of the best things about it is that, inside, it still looks like it’s 1908. On an everexpanding campus of newer, larger, sleeker buildings, this one’s sun-faded brick facade, Neoclassical columns and heavy wooden front doors are a rare oasis of time travel.

Inside, the main exhibition room is lined wall-to-wall with practical, unfussy, woodand-glass display cases filled with rows and rows of gem and mineral specimens. If you’re not already a geology buff, perhaps the fossilized mastodon foot, the pretty crystallization patterns or the opulent Tiffany silver collection will make your day. You can also learn about the mining history that made this building—and this city— what they are.

—Kris Vagner

BEST MOVIE THEATER

Galaxy Theatres Legends

2. Cinemark Century Summit Sierra

3. Galaxy Theatres Victorian

4. Cinemark Century Riverside 12

5. Galaxy Theatres Carson City

BEST ANIMAL SHELTER

Nevada Humane Society

2. SPCA of Northern Nevada

3. Enchanted Cat Cafe

4. Canine Rehabilitation Center & Cat Sanctuary

5. Boxers & Buddies

BEST SPECIAL EVENT IN CARSON CITY

Nevada Day Parade

2. Rockin’ Rib-Fest at Casino Fandango

3. Mark Twain Days Festival

4. Levitt AMP Carson City Music Series at Brewery Arts Center

5. Capital City Brewfest

BEST SPECIAL EVENT IN MINDEN/GARDNERVILLE

Genoa Candy Dance Arts & Crafts Faire

2. Parade of Lights

3. Carson Valley Days

4. Aviation Roundup

BEST SPECIAL EVENT IN DOWNTOWN SPARKS

Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook Off

2. Hot August Nights

3. Star Spangled Sparks

4. 39 North Pole Village

5. Legends of Beer Festival

BEST SPECIAL EVENT AT LAKE TAHOE

Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival

2. Fourth of July

3. American Century Celebrity Golf Tournament

4. Rock Tahoe Half Marathon

5. Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance

BEST MUSEUM MAKEOVER

Stewart Indian School

1 Jacobsen Way, Carson City

Starting in 1879, Native American boarding schools kidnapped and assimilated Native children all over the U.S. and Canada.

The Stewart Indian School opened in Carson City in 1890 and closed in 1980. For much of that time—and for much of the time since then—the stories of the school and the families affected by its assimilation efforts were kept hushed. No longer.

As of 2017, Stewart’s partially abandoned campus was open to visitors, but you had to stay outdoors, where you could take a self-guided, cell-phone audio tour of the dilapidated gym, dorms and other stone buildings, while listening to fascinating interviews—some heartbreaking, some heartwarming—with former students.

In 2018, the state allocated $4.6 million for capital

BEST NONPROFIT GROUP

SPCA of Northern Nevada

2. Our Center

3. Karma Box Project

4. The Holland Project

5. Black Wall Street

BEST CHARITY RACE OR WALK

Moms on the Run

2. Reno Wine Walk

3. Dirty Wookie Run

4. Race for the Cure

5. Leprechuan Race

BEST ART GALLERY

Nevada Museum of Art

2. The Holland Project

3. Sierra Arts Foundation

4. Stremmel Gallery

BEST LOCAL TV NEWS

KOLO 8

2. 2News (KTVN)

3. News 4 (KRNV)

4. Telemundo Reno

BEST LOCAL BAND

Reckless Envy

2. Kathy Lantz and Sugar High

3. Rick Hays and American Steel

4. Decoy

5. Sierra Roc

improvements. (See “School Spirit,” RN&R, Jan. 4, 2018.)

Early in 2020, the former superintendent’s building reopened as the shiny, new Stewart Indian School Cultural Center and Museum, where displays of school memorabilia are paired with excellent wall text and sound recordings that bring the stories of the Stewart community—many generations of it—to life. There’s also a sunny art gallery, curated by Great Basin Native Artists director Melissa Melero-Moose and featuring rotating shows of traditional and contemporary artworks.

Even though the museum is now the shining jewel of this campus, the cell phone tour is still there, and we still recommend it. Learn more at stewartindianschool.com.

—Kris Vagner

BEST SPECIAL EVENT IN DOWNTOWN RENO

Artown

2. Hot August Nights

3. Northern Nevada Pride

4. Food Truck Fridays

5. Italian Festival

6. BBQ, Brews & Blues Festival

BEST OPEN MIC Polo Lounge

2. Red Dog Saloon

3. 10 Torr

4. A to Zen

BEST LOCAL THEATER COMPANY

Reno Little Theater

2. Good Luck Macbeth

3. Bruka

4. TheatreWorks of Northern Nevada

5. Western Nevada Musical Theatre

BEST LOCAL DANCE COMPANY

Reno Dance Company

2. Tiempo Latino Dance Company

3. Around the Stage

4. Ballroom of Reno

5. Reno Empire

6. Rogue Worx

BEST DOG PARK

Rancho San Rafael

2. Hidden Valley Dog Park

3. Cyan Park

4. Link Piazzo Dog Park

5. Biggest Little Dog Park

BEST CASINO TIE

Atlantis Casino Resort Spa

Peppermill

3. Grand Sierra Resort

4. Legends Bay

5. Eldorado

BEST SPORTSBOOK

Atlantis

2. Circa at Legends Bay

3. Peppermill

4. Grand Sierra Resort

BEST CASINO BAR

Peppermill Fireside Lounge

2. Atlantis Sports Bar and Lounge

3. Legends Bay Food Truck Hall Bar

4. Eldorado Brew Brothers

5. Peppermill Terrace Lounge

BEST CASINO RESTAURANT

Western Village Steak House

2. Atlantis Steakhouse

3. Bimini Steakhouse at Peppermill

4. Charlie Palmer Steak at Grand Sierra Resort

5. Roxy at Eldorado

BEST POKER ROOM

Atlantis

2. Peppermill

3. Grand Sierra Resort

BEST CASINO-HOTEL FOR A ROMANTIC GETAWAY

Peppermill

2. Atlantis

3. Grand Sierra Resort

4. Eldorado

5. Nugget Casino Resort

BEST CASINO HOTEL

Peppermill

2. Atlantis

3. Grand Sierra Resort

4. Silver Legacy

5. Nugget Casino Resort

BEST CASINO-RESORT POOL

Peppermill

2. Grand Sierra Resort

3. Atlantis

4. Nugget Casino Resort

BEST CASINO BUFFET

Toucan Charlie’s Buffet & Grille at the Atlantis

2. The Grand Buffet at the Grand Sierra Resort

3. The Buffet at J Resort

BEST FANCY TACOS

Anna’s Taqueria

271 Wonder St., Reno

If the mere mention of a $26.99 plate of tacos makes you want to run screaming, hear me out: Anna’s Taqueria lives up to the price tag. Anna’s packs quality ingredients (like ribeye steak) and innovative fillings (like bacon, roasted potatoes or slow roasted pork in a top-notch mole) into pillowy-thick, handmade corn tortillas. The vibe is casual; the flavors are sophisticated. The tacos are so oversized that an order of three might leave even a hearty eater with leftovers. But really, who doesn’t want giant, beautiful tacos with “marinated steak and grilled chicken with bell peppers and grilled, onions topped with our homemade serrano avocado sauce and melted cheese” for lunch tomorrow? Smaller tacos are available, too.

Street tacos are served in two quantities—six ($15.99) or all-you-can-eat ($25.99). Extra points for the cute, Wells Avenue-neighborhood yard, where most of Anna’s seating is.

—Kris Vagner

Best Casino (TIE): Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. Photo/David Robert

BEST PLACE FOR A SALAD (WHEN NO ONE ELSE WANTS SALAD)

Royce Burger Bar

115 Ridge St., Reno

It’s a Thursday night. You’ve spent the week cobbling together snacks for meals, and your body yearns for nutrition. Of all things, you’re craving greens.

You’re too lazy to go to the grocery store, yet not too lazy to grab dinner with friends. You pause. Do I … suggest we get salads?

What a conundrum: Receive groans from your friends, or go with the flow? Still, anything’s better than the Ritz crackers and cheese spread you’ve had for dinner every night this week.

The solution hits you—Royce, the burger spot so casually delicious it can please everyone … which also offers the Biggest Little Salad.

Tender greens are coated in a sweet and tangy honey-balsamic dressing, bejeweled with melt-in-your-mouth roasted beets, and dotted with flecks of cotija cheese and delightfully crunchy sunflower seeds. The simple yet brilliant contrast of flavors and textures makes each bite more enticing than the last. As your friends enjoy their burgers, wings and sandwiches, you smile. Mission accomplished. Just don’t forget to order a side of fries—because there’s nothing worse than being the friend who only orders salad and then eats everyone else’s fries.

—Maude Ballinger

RENO’S BEST CONCERT VENUE

Sublime with Rome Sept 8

Keb’ Mo’ Sept 15

Banda MS Sept 16

The Killers Sept 18 & 19

Sting Oct 1

Megadeth Oct 5

The Cult Oct 6

Disney Encanto: The SingAlong Concert Oct 7

Alice in Chains Oct 8

The Offspring Oct 14

Tiffany Haddish Oct 20

Cheap Trick Oct 22

Rob Zombie & Alice Cooper Oct 26

NEEDTOBREATHE Oct 27 Reno Phil: Back to the Future in Concert Nov 3

Ice Cube Nov 4

Kenny G Nov 5

Disney’s The Lion King Nov 9-19

Pink Martini Dec 7

Chris Isaak Dec 15

Daniel Tosh Dec 16

Christmas in Space Dec 17-31

BEST COCKTAIL MENU

Death and Taxes

2. Rum Sugar Lime

3. TIE

Chapel Tavern

Pure Country Canteen

5. Noble Pie Parlor

BEST LOCAL BREWERY

Great Basin Brewing Company

2. Revision Brewing Company

3. IMBIB Custom Brews

4. Lead Dog Brewing

5. Wonder Ale Works

BEST STRIP CLUB

Men’s Club

2. Peppermint Hippo

3. Fantasy Girls

4. Wild Orchid

5. Spice House

BEST DIVE BAR

40 Mile Saloon

2. Pure Country Canteen

3. Shea’s Tavern

4. Alturas Bar

5. Coach’s Grill and Sports Bar

BEST DISTILLERY 10 Torr Distilling and Brewing

2. Frey Ranch

3. The Depot Craft Brewery & Distillery

4. Verdi Local Distillery

5. Ferino Distillery

BEST BEER SELECTION TIE Beer NV Pinon Bottle

3. Craft Wine and Beer

4. Pure Country Canteen

5. IMBIB Custom Brews

BEST TRIVIA NIGHT 10 Torr Distilling & Brewing

2. Sierra Tap House

3. Pinon Bottle

4. IMBĪB Custom Brews

5. Old Southwest Social House

BEST SPORTS BAR Flowing Tide Pub

2. Bully’s

3. The Stick

4. Coach’s Grill and Sports Bar

5. Legends Grill Sports & Spirits

BEST ALL-AGES SPOT

Coconut Bowl at Wild Island

2. Press Start

3. The Holland Project

4. Pure Country Canteen

5. South 40

6. Pinon

BEST BOWLING ALLEY

Grand Sierra Resort

2. Coconut Bowl at Wild Island

3. High Sierra Lanes

4. Carson Lanes

5. Gold Dust West Bowling Center (Carson City)

BEST FREE OUTDOOR CONCERT SERIES IN CARSON CITY

Levitt Amp at the Brewery Arts Center

449 W King St., Carson City

The Levitt Foundation—a national philanthropic group that aims to increase access to the arts—funds sound stages and concert series in around 30 small cities across the U.S. The idea, according to the foundation’s website, is to “transform underused public spaces into thriving community destinations.”

In Carson City, the underused public space is the parking lot of the Brewery Arts Center. Since 2016, the venue has been hosting free Saturday night concerts from mid-June to mid-August. Longtime local music promoter Spike McGuire, who’s also now the BAC’s executive director, has been pairing some of our region’s best singer-songwriters with national Latin, Indigenous, folk, world, jazz and rock bands.

This series offers concertgoers the best of all worlds. The shows are welcoming, free and convenient—street parking is a breeze—with reliably great lineups and fantastic sound quality.

This year’s series ended in August, but keep an eye out for next year’s schedule. Note to your 2024 self: Be sure to BYO chair. You can pack in food and drinks or purchase them from vendors.

Learn more at levitt.org/amp-carson-city-nv.

—Kris Vagner

Bottle

BEST ROMANTIC BAR

Fireside Lounge at the Peppermill

2. Death and Taxes

3. Roxy at the Eldorado

4. Shim’s Speakeasy

5. Midtown Spirits Wine & Bites

BEST BAR

Chapel Tavern

2. 10 Torr Distilling and Brewing

3. Pure Country Canteen

4. Pinon Bottle

5. Coach’s Grill and Sports Bar

BEST PLACE FOR A FIRST DATE

The Glass Die

2. Noble Pie Parlor

3. Pinion Bottle

4. Pure Country Canteen

5. IMBIB Eats and Drinks

BEST CRAFT COCKTAILS

Death and Taxes

2. Rum Sugar Lime

3. Chapel Tavern

4. Pure Country Canteen

5. Emerson

BEST COMEDY CLUB

Laugh Factory

2. Reno Improv

3. Coffee N’ Comics

4. Carson Nugget

BEST GAY HANGOUT

Five Star Saloon

2. Emerson

3. Carl’s The Saloon

BEST KARAOKE The Library

2. Pure Country Canteen

3. Carl’s The Saloon

4. Legends Grill Sports & Spirits

BEST DANCE CLUB

Pure Country Canteen

2. Lex Nightclub

3. Novi

4. Tonic Bar and Lounge

5. Bluebird Reno

BEST CONCERT VENUE Grand Sierra Resort

2. Nugget Event Center

3. Cypress

4. Cargo Concert Hall

5. The Cellar at Alturas Bar

Best Concert Venue: Grand Sierra Resort. Photo/David Robert

BEST MARIJUANA DISPENSARY

The Dispensary

2. Mynt Cannabis Dispensary

3. Silver State Relief

4. SoL Cannabis

5. Rise Dispensary

BEST GYM

Planet Fitness

2. Kaia FIT Sierra

3. Sports West Athletic Club

4. Eagle Fitness

5. American Iron

6. iLoveKickboxing

BEST SHOE SELECTION DSW

2. Dillard’s

3. Scheels

4. Famous Footwear

5. Global Goods Shop

BEST BANK

Greater Nevada Credit Union

2. Wells Fargo

3. TIE

Great Basin Federal Credit Union Bank of America

5. US Bank

6. Heritage Bank of Nevada

BEST DISPENSARY FOR MEDICAL CANNABIS

Silver State Relief 1175 E. Greg St., Sparks

After the recreational use of cannabis was allowed in Nevada in 2017, medical users became an afterthought at some dispensaries. Holders of a medical cannabis card can still go to the front of the line at most cannabis shops, but some of those businesses have trouble keeping the higher-potency medical-only products in stock. Also, although Nevada law allows medical users to purchase 2.5 ounces of bud—or the THC equivalent in other products such as edibles or tinctures— some dispensaries have a one-size-fits-all approach, limiting medical-card-holders to the recreational limit of 1 ounce of

BEST HARDWARE STORE TIE

Carter Bros. Ace Hardware Home Depot

3. Lowe’s

4. Shelly’s True Value Hardware

5. True Value North Valleys Hardware

BEST PLACE TO GET PIERCED

Black Hole Body Piercing

2. Evolution Tattoo

3. Under Your Skin Tattoo & Body Piercing

4. Black Widow Ink

BEST BEAUTY SALON Jensen & Co Salon

2. Caliber Hair & Makeup Studio

3. Siren Salon

4. Aura Salon

5. Shear Pearl Salon

BEST USED CAR DEALERSHIP

Carmax

2. Dolan Toyota

3. Reno Tahoe Auto Group

4. Auto Max

BEST NEW CAR DEALERSHIP

Dolan Toyota

2. Lithia Reno Subaru

3. Bill Pearce Honda

4. Carson Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram

5. Lithia Hyundai of Reno

BEST CAR WASH

Sierra Car Wash

2. Surf Thru Express

3. Buggy Bath

4. Hutch’s Car Wash

5. Jimmy’s Express Car Wash

THC equivalent per visit. (This law will fortunately change next year.)

Silver State Relief in Sparks is an exception. The store has a fast-moving, separate line for medical card-holders. The large dispensary, which has friendly and knowledgeable budtenders, also stocks medical-only products, such as the 500-milligram Evergreen Organic (EGO) chocolate bars. Medical card holders also may buy the maximum amount of THCequivalent products the law allows, which reduces the number of trips to the pot shop. It’s the best joint to buy medical joints.

—Frank X. Mullen

BEST SKATE SHOP

Classic Skate Shop

2. Sierra Nevada Skateboards

3. Tillys

4. Wheel House

BEST MOVING COMPANY

Two Men and a Truck

2. Wolf Pack Moving

3. Two College Guys

4. Carneys Full Services Movers

5. O’Brien’s Moving & Storage

BEST PLACE TO GET AN AUTO SMOGGED

Instant Smog

2. Smog Monkey

3. GK Smog Inspection

4. The Smog Place

BEST CLOTHING STORE

Kohl’s

2. Macy’s

3. Junkee Clothing Exchange

4. Bad Apple Vntg

5. JaDa Loft Boutique

BEST PLACE TO BUY SEXY UNDERWEAR

Chocolate Walrus

2. Victoria’s Secret

3. Adam and Eve

4. Torrid

BEST ADULT THEMED STORE

Adam & Eve

2. Chocolate Walrus

3. Suzie’s

4. Crazy Sexy Hot

BEST LIQUOR STORE

Total Wine & More

2. Lee’s Discount Liquor

3. Speedway Market

4. Ben’s Fine Wine and Spirits

5. Craft Wine and Beer

BEST WEDDING RECEPTION SITE

Lake Tahoe (general)

2. The Elm Estate

3. Tannenbaum Events Center

4. Red Hawk Golf and Resort

5. Nevada Museum of Art

BEST BARBER SHOP

Derby Supply Company

2. Beautiful Bearded Man

3. Maxwell’s

4. Commonwealth Barber Co.

5. The Town Barbers

BEST MORTGAGE COMPANY

Bay Equity Home Loans

2. Guild Mortgage

3. Greater Nevada Mortgage

4. Summit Funding

BEST THRIFT STORE

SPCA of Northern

Nevada Thrift Store

2. Junkee Clothing Exchange

3. Savers

4. St. Vincent’s Thrift Shop

5. Salvation Army

BEST DRY CLEANERS

Bobby Page’s Dry Cleaners

2. Peerless Cleaners

3. Mia’s Professional Cleaners

4. Lakeridge Cleaners

5. Reno Cleaners

6. Pristine Cleaners

BEST CARPET CLEANING COMPANY

Evergreen Carpet Care

2. Munoz Cleaning Service

3. Sterling Carpet Care

4. TIE Carpet Craft Affinity Cleans

BEST PLACE TO BUY VINTAGE CLOTHES

Junkee Clothing Exchange

2. Bad Apple Vntg

3. The Nest

4. FreeStyle Clothing Exchange

5. Classy Seconds

BEST SPA Peppermill Spa Toscana

2. Spa Atlantis

3. Dolce Vita Wellness Spa

4. Bella Grey Medical Spa

BEST WALKING TIME MACHINE

Historic Reno Preservation Society Tours

3950 Mayberry Drive, Reno

It’s one thing to read about history, but exploring historic sites—and walking in the footsteps of the people who made history while hearing their stories—forges a more immediate connection to the past.

The Historic Reno Preservation Society, whose members lead tours of historic Reno neighborhoods from May through July each year, offers that kind of time machine. The tours showcase unique homes and commercial buildings; the guides, who have done extensive research, provide insight into the properties’ histories, architecture and cultural significance.

Some tours have themes, such as local literary landmarks, movie production sites and historic cemeteries. Other tours feature the history of the Truckee River, the stories of local parks, and the tales of Reno’s historic mansions and the people who once lived in them. The short treks, which run about two hours, are free for HRPS members and $10 for non-members. Learn more at www.historicreno.org.

—Frank X. Mullen

BEST BRIDAL SALON Swoon

2. David’s Bridal

3. Blue Garter Bridal & Tux

4. Caliber Hair & Makeup Studio

5. Studio Inspire Bridal

BEST JEWELRY STORE

Michael and Son’s Jewelry Co.

2. BVW Jewelers

3. Midtown Diamonds

4. Precision Diamonds

5. Helzberg Diamonds

BEST PLACE TO GET A CAR REPAIRED

Greg’s Garage

2. Reno Vulcanizing Auto Care and Tires

3. CoAuto

4. North Valley Automotive

5. Deano’s Automotive

BEST COMPUTER STORE

Best Buy

2. Apple Store

3. Reno Computer Fix

4. PC Service Center

BEST HOUSE CLEANING SERVICE

Munoz Cleaning Service

2. White Lotus

3. Merry Maids

4. Pristine Cleaning Solutions

5. MaidPro

BEST USED CLOTHING STORE

Junkee Clothing Exchange

2. SPCA of Northern Nevada Thrift Store

3. Savers

4. Plato’s Closet

5. Freestyle Clothing Exchange

Best Marijuana Dispensary: The Dispensary. Photo/David Robert

BEST TATTOO PARLOR

Evolution Tattoo

2. Aces Tattoo

3. Lasting Dose Tattoo & Art Collective

4. Kimmy Tatts Studio

5. Absolute Tattoo

BEST ANTIQUE STORE

Junkee Clothing Exchange

2. The Nest

3. Midtown Antiques

4. Hanifin’s Arts and Antiques

5. Antique Angel Gifts

BEST SELECTION OF LOCAL ART

Nevada Museum of Art

2. The Holland Project

3. Reno Public Market

4. Sierra Arts Foundation Gallery

5. Artists Co-op Gallery Reno

BEST WORKOUT WEAR SELECTION Scheels

2. Lululemon

3. Athleta

4. Big 5 Sporting Goods

5. Fit 36

BEST BOOKSTORE

Grassroots Books

2. Sundance Books and Music

3. Barnes and Noble

4. The Radical Cat

5. Golden Owl Bookshop

BEST CREDIT UNION

Greater Nevada Credit Union

2. Great Basin Federal Credit Union

3. United Federal Credit Union

4. One Nevada Credit Union

5. Sierra Pacific Federal Credit Union

BEST DOGGY DAYCARE

Animal Oasis

2. Pet Play House

3. On Command

4. Fantasia Pet Resort

5. Charlie’s Place

BEST PET SUPPLY STORE

PetSmart

2. Pet Station

3. Petco

4. SPCA of Northern Nevada Thrift Store

5. Hammer’s Healthy Hounds

BEST VETERINARIAN CLINIC

Klaich Animal Hospital

2. VCA Baring Boulevard Animal Hospital

3. Mountain View Animal Hospital and Holistic Pet Care

4. Peavine Animal Hospital

5. Pinion Veterinary Hospital

BEST PET BOARDING Pet Play House

2. On Command

3. Animal Oasis

4. Fantasia Pet Resort

5. Adventure Pet

BEST PLACE TO BUY A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Guitar Center

2. Bizarre Guitar and Guns

3. Play Your Own Music

4. Blue Note B’s Horn Shop

5. American Musical Supply

BEST PLACE FOR MUSIC LESSONS

Mountain Music Parlor

2. Play Your Own Music

3. One Stop Guitar

BEST CHILDREN’S CLOTHING BOUTIQUE

Once Upon a Child

2. The Children’s Place

3. Little Red Wagon Children’s Boutique

4. Shay Co Shop

BEST BOUTIQUE

CLOTHING STORE

Junkee Clothing Exchange

2. Bad Apple Vntg

3. Nomad Boutique

4. JaDa Loft Boutique

BEST PHARMACY

CVS

2. Costco

3. Walgreens

4. Raley’s

5. Walmart

BEST VIDEO GAME STORE

GameStop

2. Cap’n Games

3. Best Buy

BEST OPTICAL SHOP

Costco

2. Pritchett Eye Care

3. DeMers Family Vision Group

4. Downtown Vision

5. LensCrafters

6. Optic Gallery

BEST BICYCLE SHOP

Reno Bike Project

2. Sierra Cyclesmith

3. College Cyclery

4. The Dropout Bike Shop

BEST MOTORCYCLE DEALER

Reno Harley-Davidson

2. Battle Born Harley-Davidson

3. Reno Motorsports

4. Big Valley Honda

5. Sierra BMW

BEST FRAME SHOP

Michael’s

2. Nevada Fine Arts

3. Midtown Frameworks

4. The Frame Shop at Lakeside

5. Eagle Framing and Art Gallery

BEST HOME FURNISHINGS STORE

RC Willey

2. Scandanavian Designs

3. Ashley Furniture

4. Mor Furniture

5. Macy’s

BEST PLACE TO BUY A FIREARM

Scheels

2. Reno Guns & Range

3. Cabela’s

4. Sparks Black Rifle

5. Sportsman’s Wearhouse

BEST WINE SHOP

Total Wine and More

2. Whispering Vine

3. Craft Wine and Beer

4. Engine 8 Urban Winery

5. Ben’s Fine Wine and Spirits

6. Blackrock Wine Co.

BEST SPECIALTY FOOD STORE

Trader Joe’s

2. Whole Foods

3. Sprouts Farmers Market

4. Great Basin Community Food Co-op

5. Aladdin’s Market & Kitchen

BEST GROCERY STORE

WinCo Foods

2. Trader Joe’s

3. Raley’s

4. Sprouts Farmers Market

5. Smith’s

BEST VAPE SHOP

Happy Dayze Cigar & Smoke

2. Cloud 9

3. Sunny’s E Cigarettes

4. Biggest Little Vape Shop

5. Pyramid Vapory And Art Studio

BEST HEAD SHOP

The Melting Pot World Emporium & Smoke Shop

2. Art Dogs & Grace

3. Happy Dayze Cigar & Smoke

4. Lavi’s Smoke Shop

BEST EVENT PROMOTER

Amplified Entertainment

2. Liquid Blue Events

3. Design on Edge

4. Qued Up Entertainment

BEST LAW FIRM

Marilyn York

2. Laub and Laub

3. Fennemore Craig

4. Jesse Kalter Law

5. Carlson & Work

BEST WEEKNIGHT ACTIVITY

Reno Aces

2. Magic Carpet Golf

3. El Rancho Drive-in

4. First Thursday at the Nevada Art Museum

BEST FAMILY OUTING

Lake Tahoe

2. The Discovery:

The Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum

3. Reno Aces

4. Coconut Bowl at Wild Island

5. Food Truck Friday

BEST RIVER

SPOT FOR KIDS

Crissie Caughlin Park

3415 Idlewild Drive, Reno

Nestled along a mellow, tree-lined portion of the Truckee River lies Crissie Caughlin Park. While it may be most known for its beautiful shade trees, abundant grass, playground and popular picnic areas, those aren’t the only draws this Reno park offers. Searching for a place to take smaller kids to the Truckee River can be challenging. Near Verdi, the current is still strong; meanwhile, popular downtown parks like Idlewild and Wingfield can quickly become overcrowded.

BEST ARCADE GAMES

Coconut Bowl at Wild Island

2. Press Start

3. Round1

4. Circus Circus

5. Peppermill

BEST LIBRARY

Downtown Reno Library

2. Spanish Springs Library

3. Northwest Reno Library

4. South Valleys Library

BEST TOY STORE

Toys N More

2. Learning Express

3. Walmart

4. Biggest Little Baby

A walk along the river’s shore at Crissie Caughlin Park will lead you to multiple small beaches with pools of water that are shallow enough for the little ones to play. These small pools are free of strong currents, but feature water deep enough to splash around and explore. You can also see lovely little waterfalls, as well as flora and fauna that make for great exploring (and photo ops!). The shade trees offer plenty of sun protection and a nice place to spread out on the grass for some snacks.

Bonus: Crissie Caughlin Park also has a small but nice playground, so if the kids didn’t get worn out by their river adventures, they can play off the rest of their excess energy there!

—Loryn Elizares

BEST KID-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT

BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse

2. South 40

3. Chuck E. Cheese

4. Great Full Gardens

5. Scoups Ice Cream & Soup

BEST INDOOR ACTIVITY FOR KIDS

The Discovery: The Terry Lee Wells Nevada Discovery Museum

2. Coconut Bowl at Wild Island

3. Fly High Trampoline Park

4. Fleischmann Planetarium and Science Center

5. Reno Ice

BEST PARK

Rancho San Rafael

2. Idlewild Park

3. Sparks Marina Park

4. Pah Rah Park

5. Virginia Lake Park

BEST PLACE TO WATCH YOUR PIZZA BEING MADE— WITHOUT SPORTS

Mofo’s Pizza and Pasta 18180 Wedge Parkway, Reno 868 Tahoe Blvd., Suite 23, Incline Village

I like pizza, all types—thick, thin, classic, gourmet, New York, Chicago, you name it … just no cauliflower crust, please. However, I’ve become a regular at the Galena location of Mofo’s Pizza.

There are there three reasons I love Mofo’s. First is the pizza crust; it has a great flavor and texture—and you can’t have great pizza without a great crust.

Second: You can watch them make your pizza. There is something satisfying about watching the dough get tossed, the marinara sauce being spread, and the fresh toppings being heaped on, before it is all placed in the oven.

Third: You can actually sit and eat your pizza without having to watch 10 largescreen TVs playing sports. Sports bars are great, but I don’t need my pizza place to be one.

—Steve Noel

Best Weeknight Activity: Reno Aces. Photo/David Robert

BEST LOCAL TV NEWS ANCHOR

Joe Hart, KRNV

2. Kristen Remington, 2news (KTVN)

3. Rebecca Kitchen, KOLO 8 News Now

4. Arianna Bennett, 2news (KTVN)

5. Noah Bond, KOLO 8 News Now

BEST LOCAL RADIO DJ OR DJ TEAM

Chris Payne, Rock 104.5

2. JJ Christy, K-Bull 98.1

3. Max Volume, 105.7 KOZZ

4. Bill & Jlynn in the Morning, Alice 96.5

5. Jamie Lynn, 105.7 KOZZ

BEST LOCAL ACTIVIST

Grant Denton

2. Black Wall Street

3. Alicia Barber

4. Lily Baran

5. Michon Eben

BEST LOCAL POLITICIAN

Donald Abbott

2. Hillary Schieve

3. Joey Gilbert

4. Devon Reese

BEST ATTORNEY

Marilyn York

2. Graham Galloway

3. Heather Ijames

4. Mathew Work

5. Benjamin Pearce

6. John Hope Jr.

BEST TAMALE-MAKER

Guillermo “Memo” Plascencia

Memo’s Tamales

Can a tamale change your life? Maybe not, but Guillermo “Memo” Plascencia’s tamales come close. Served out of the back of a small purple truck, Memo’s tamales have become something of local legend, with people posting messages on places like Reddit trying to track down where he’ll be next.

His following has been steadily growing for years, with people waxing nearpoetic about the smooth masa that surrounds a variety of fillings. Most popular are the green chili, pork and chicken tamales (in rojo and verde)—but Memo also has other delicacies up for grabs, like homemade ceviche, elote and snow cones. For those snow cones, he makes the syrups by hand and has flavors like coconut and vanilla—very refreshing when it’s hot out.

Memo and his purple truck can often be found around Midtown, especially on weekends. For bulk orders (and you will want to make a bulk order after one taste of tamale), or to find out where he’ll be next, call 775-954-3844

—Loryn Elizares

BEST BARBER

Vincent Gravallese, Derby Supply Company

2. Don Anderson, Beautiful Bearded Man

3. Chris Bonde, Derby Supply Company

4. Jimmy Deem, Town Barbers

5. Derrick Smith, D’s Cutz

BEST NAIL TECHNICIAN

Riley Catt, Catt’s Claws

2. Cassie Johnson, Jensen and Co.

3. Adina Pearl, Shear Pearl Salon

4. Nisa.nailified

5. Elizabeth Powell, my.fingerfantasy

BEST AESTHETICIAN

Michelle LaRoux, LaRoux Lash Studio

BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT

Cary DeMars

2. Ginger Marphis

3. Sarah Sperber

4. James Nava

BEST HAIR STYLIST

Jessica Schauer, MaZa Salon and Spa

2. Brian Jensen, Jensen and Co.

3. Tres Benzley, Caliber Hair and Makeup

4. Katie Catt, Siren Salon

5. Jessica Abbott, Eye Candy Salon

6. Chloe Ghazi-Tehrani, Beauty by Chloe Camille

2. Jamie Kaltenbach, Bella Grey Medical Spa

3. TIE

Lynn Harty, European Wax Center

Stephanie Butler, Plumb + Pine

5. Sara Coder, Glow Esthetic Lasers and Spa

BEST PLASTIC SURGEON

Dr. Tiffany McCormack

2. Dr. LaDawn Talbott

3. Dr. Wesley Hall

4. Dr. Kyle Yamamoto

5. Dr. Louis Bonaldi

We would like to thank the Reno community for voting Dr. Tiffany McCormack “Best Plastic Surgeon” in the “Best of Northern Nevada” poll by Reno News & Review! At our practice, Dr. McCormack continues to achieve refined, high-quality plastic surgery results that complement patients’ natural features. She excels in the entire spectrum of cosmetic surgery, including:

BREAST SURGERY

BODY CONTOURING PROCEDURES

We perform all procedures in our on-site, AAAASF-accredited surgical facility to help you achieve your desired results with the privacy, safety, and one-on-one attention you deserve.

As one of few medical spas in Reno and Lake Tahoe led by a board-certified plastic surgeon, M Spa is equipped to help you look and feel your best with convenient, in-office treatments! We offer cutting-edge non-surgical services, such as:

• CoolSculpting® and KYBELLA®

Facial

•

Genius™ Radiofrequency Microneedling

Laser Hair Removal

FemTouch™

Laser

Skin

NOT SURE WHICH TREATMENTS WILL MAKE YOUR GOALS A REALITY?

No problem! Visit our website and simply select on the specific concerns you want to improve. Our team will contact you with treatment suggestions and answer all of your questions.

FACIAL PLASTIC SURGERY

MOMMY MAKEOVERS

BEST GYNECOLOGIST

Dr. Elizabeth Hutson

2. Dr. Susan DiGrazia Perry

3. TIE

Dr. Hilary Allen

Dr. Holly Ashley

5. Dr. Peter DeKay

BEST FAMILY DOCTOR

Dr. Amber Hayes

2. Dr. Andrew Pasternak

3. Dr. Jeremy Bearfield

4. Dr. Vance Alm

5. TIE

Dr. David Fiore

Dr. Travis Walker

BEST DENTIST

Dr. Drew Champagne

2. Dr. Joel Glover

3. Dr. Harry Fry

4. Dr. Benjamin Brooks

5. Dr. Natalya Jones

BEST ORTHODONTIST

Dr. Kevin Andrews

2. Pitts Orthodontics

3. Dr. Adam Welmerink

4. Dr. William O’Gara

BEST CHIROPRACTOR

Amanda Rammel

2. Ricky Delacruz

3. Daniel Barlow

4. Aaron McJones

5. Cameron Smith

6. Aric Gomez

BEST MASSAGE THERAPIST

Lexi Palmer, Live In Peace

2. TIE

Paige Tatem

Cami Luc, Metamorphosis

Salon and Day Spa

4. Nancy Kellogg, Galena Sport Physical Therapy

5. Stacey Varga, Glow Esthetic Lasers and Spa

BEST PERSONAL TRAINER

Sherilyn Cabanting Allen

2. Mena Spodobalski

3. Erik Underwood

4. Marcell LaGrone

BEST LOCAL ATHLETE

David Wise

2. Anna Costello

3. Caleb Martin

4. Brandon Aiyuk

5. Krysta Palmer

Best Local Politician: Donald Abbott. Photo/David Robert

BEST TATTOO ARTIST

Tony Medellin

2. Ron Rash

3. Jon Potter

4. Chris Melzo

5. Kevin Cox

BEST LOCAL ACTOR/ACTRESS

Jeremy Renner

2. Mary Bennett

3. Jessica Coxxx

4. Evonne Kezios

BEST LOCAL AUTHOR

Mikalee Byerman

2. Bill Brown

3. Charles Wellington II

4. Spencer Stoner

5. Michael Branch

BEST LOCAL SONGWRITER

Rick Hays

2. April Higuera

3. Greg Gilmore

4. Canyon White

5. Jimmy Teflon

BEST LOCAL MUSICIAN

Rick Hays

2. Rick Metz

3. Canyon White

4. Keith Lindsey

5. Jakota Wass

BEST LOCAL RAPPER

Jimmy Teflon

2. Whutz Gud

3. Young Arima

4. Nulyphe

BEST INTERIOR DESIGNER

Amy Gail, Design Co. Lab

2. Alyssa Mickelson, VanWoert Bigotti Architects

3. Camilla Jorst, Cozi Designs

4. Kadie Remaklus, KDesign

BEST VISUAL ARTIST

Joe C. Rock

2. Julie Steiner

3. Pan Pantoja

BEST DANCE INSTRUCTOR

Vaquera Vikki

2. Sara B Dancin’

3. Monique Manzo

4. Tim Renner

5. Nelly Reynolds

BEST PHOTOGRAPHER

Jeramie Lu Photography

2. Eric Castillo

3. Neil Lockhart

4. Nick Higman

BEST WEDDING PLANNER

Kayla Lewis, That Blissful Moment

2. eNVy Event Management

3. Event Planning by Annie

4. Trista DeWeese, Blush Worthy Events

BEST CLUB OR EVENT DJ DJ Jeremy McGuigan

2. Cruz Entertainment

3. JARS (James Boggan)

4. DJ Eyeque (Stephen Rivera)

5. 2 Amazing Mobile Events

After multiple decades of crafting and sharing his music in Northern Nevada, it’s safe to say that Rick Hays is doing something right—and RN&R readers agree: They’ve selected him as both the Best Local Musician and Best Local Songwriter in the 2023 Best of Northern Nevada poll. Additionally, his band, Rick Hays and American Steel, finished third in the Best Local Band category.

Hays brings honesty and twang to his songwriting, creating meaningful country tunes about topics like the state of Nevada (“Nevadatude”) and emotional moments (“The Day It Rained”). His music includes elements of ballads, pop and rock.

During a recent phone interview, Hays said he was “honored and flattered” to hear about the vote.

“It’s great to have something like that happen,” Hays said. “I’ve been writing and performing as Rick Hays and American Steel since 1994. I was doing that while I was active-duty military and going to school, working on my degree, all the way up to my doctoral degree, and (during) a deployment back east for seven years.

“I’ve been home now for two years and got the band back together. I would come home on leave and do shows to just kind

of keep it going, and visit with family and friends. It’s very honoring and very flattering that they remembered who we were and supported us. I’m really looking forward to sharing more and writing about Nevada, and our hometown of Reno.”

Hays has a history with many genres of music.

“I’m classically trained as a vocalist, and then did rock ’n’ roll for a while, and then moved on to country in ’94,” Hays said. “For country, (fans) have always been very supportive. I don’t want to brag about our fans, but in all the genres I’ve performed in, they’ve treated me the best in country, and they’ve always stood behind us, remembered who we are, and came out and supported us, right down to purchasing the music that we wrote. That says a lot of people, when they put their money where their mouth is. … You wouldn’t expect that, because Reno’s a working town. You look around at how industrial Reno is, and all you have to do is take a look at the roadways and what’s driving on them. There are a lot of trucks, a lot of four-wheel drives and a lot of 18-wheelers. There are a lot of warehouses where people are out there working with their hands, and they’ve got their name on their shirt, and those are the hard-working folks who come and support us.”

It’s been said that a songwriter needs a life to live to have something to write about—and Hays has plenty to write about.

“Art isn’t a reflection; it’s an imitation of life,” Hays said. “I’ve always said, ‘If you’re not living a beautiful life, you really can’t write beautiful music.’ Life’s not always beautiful, though, and sometimes it’s sad, like it was for me when I got

home just two years ago. I was home for four weeks. Both of my parents got COVID, and two weeks after that, my mom had passed. She was my best friend and my true compass north. They had to nurse my dad back to health, and tough times like that definitely helped me to have something to write about— because you’ve got to write about the stuff that’s real.

“That’s the great thing about country music: It’s real, and it’s a way of passing life’s lessons on, and what we’ve learned, to give advice to other people, and let them know, ‘Hey, you’re not alone in whatever you’re going through. There are better times ahead.’ For me, I’m a Christian, so I write about that as well. I write about my faith, but I don’t try to force it on anybody. Those pillars that we have in life about family and country and religion and who we are as people and respect for ourselves and others is really important, and when you can write about that and share that with folks, it gives them a perspective that sometimes they may not have.”

While some country artists dip into the world of politics, Hays has no desire to do so.

“I don’t ever play politics from the stage—because I only know one color, and it’s green,” Hays said. “That’s the color of money. It’s a business first, as they say, and you don’t want to alienate 50% of your money because you pick one color or another. Just stay with green, and keep the politics out of it. There’s the common-sense thing that I think most people reside with who are in my audience—logic and reason.”

Hays said he’s learned that being the same person on and off the stage is “paramount.”

“If you’re not being real, trust me, they’re going to see right through it,” he said. “They’re not going to buy it, and they’re not going to go. They’ll just realize it’s B.S.”

Fans will soon have new music to enjoy, as he’s working on a fourth Rick Hays and American Steel album—featuring songs for Nevada, by Nevadans.

“Coming back home, I really wanted to write something about Nevada, so I tried to write about things that are Nevada, like cottonwood trees, and how you say the name of our state, and all the quotes that you hear around the area, like, ‘It’s NeVAD-uh, not Ne-VAH-duh,’” Hays said. “We take offense at that, because if you’re going to come be a part of us, at least get our name right. … In fact, we’re working on a version now of ‘Home Means Nevada,’ so we can have our own spin on that and just identify as, ‘Hey, we’re from here; this is what we’re about, and we share that same thing.’”

If you go to see a Rick Hays show, there’s a chance it may be a collaborative effort with another Best of Northern Nevada winner.

“I was talking to Vaquera Vikki, who won Best Dance Instructor last year in the Reno News and Review,” he said. “And I go, ‘What do you think about you opening my show? I’ll play after you do your line-dance instruction, then on breaks, you take it back over, and we’ll just toss the bone back and forth all night?’ And she’s like, ‘Yeah, I like it.’ We tried it at Rail City, and it worked so well there that we started making it a standard part of our show. I don’t know anybody else who is doing that. … It’s a package deal when we go out and do these shows, and, man, does it win like gangbusters every single time. I’d like to thank the fans who supported us doing that, and for recognizing Vaquera Vikki’s input, what she brings to the table, and the band as well.”

For more information, visit rickhays.com.

Rick Hays and American Steel: Rick Bowden, Vaquera Vikki, Rick Hays, Felipe Vigil, David Lee and Tommy Stiles.

BEST LANDSCAPING COMPANY

Cory’s Lawn Service

2. All Seasons Lawn & Landscaping

3. Scotland Yard Lawn Care

4. All City Lawn & Landscaping

5. Green Diamond Landscaping

BEST CARSON CITY DOG PARK

Sonoma Park

1003 Sonoma St., Carson City

The best of breed winner in Carson City, in the category of dog (and people) parks, is Sonoma Park. The carpet of grass in the 1000 block of Sonoma Street, which includes a fenced dog-free playground, is a haven for pups and their humans.

Trees on the perimeter and several benches, both inside and outside of the playground area, ring the fully-fenced, five-acre expanse. The enclave attracts dog

BEST COMMUNITY FARM

Reno Food Systems 3295 Mayberry Drive, Reno

The intersection of Mayberry Drive and McCarran Boulevard has a lot of neat niche businesses—but not enough people know about the active, community-based farm nearby.

Set on five acres of land originally owned by the Caughlin family, Reno Food Systems strives to create a “vibrant, resilient and just local food system cultivated by an empowered community.”

Each Sunday, the farm opens to the public and sells not only seedlings grown to thrive in our tough, high-desert environment, but also fresh produce, flowers and more. Membership is available for as little as $5 a month, which will give you bonuses like farm parties, you-pick fruits, veggies and flowers and workshops.

This little farm is doing some big things for our community as well. Reno Food Systems strives to give back, with a focus on aiding those facing food insecurity. The farm team helps prepare fresh fruit and vegetable dishes and partners with local food distribution programs, like Family Soup Mutual Aid, to help feed people in need. They also focus on training the next generation of farmers through educational internships.

Be sure to stop by Sundays for some locally grown produce—and to say hello to the resident goats while you’re at it!

—Loryn Elizares

BEST GARDEN NURSERY

Moana Nursery

2. Old Stone House Gift and Garden

3. Rail City Garden Center

4. Sierra Water Gardens

owners, their unleashed pets, and folks who show up to sit, converse and indulge in bombastic blarney. It’s a haven for doggos, their humans and pet-watchers.

One regular, who perches on a bench in the southeast corner—often with his pup—Misty, is a master of sardonic or silly sagacity. A plaque on that bench is dedicated in honor of Gino Guidice, Ph.D. It reads: “Pontifical Throne of Gino Guidice, Ph.D. Reviled, cursed, defiled and envied for being the humor-spewing bard of Sonoma Park, Carson City, NV. Dedicated 2/7/23.”

That’s just the kind of park it is.

—John Barrette

BEST LOCAL FARM/ PRODUCE GROWER

Andelin Family Farm

2. Reno Food Systems

3. Prema Farm

BEST HARVEST FESTIVAL

Andelin Family Farm

2. Reno Garlic Fest

3. Animal Ark Harvest Festival

BEST CANNABIS GROWER (LOCAL)

SoL Cannabis

2. The Source

3. MMG Agriculture

BEST FLOWER SHOP

Sparks Florist

2. Moana Nursery

3. Abloom Floral Design

4. Awesome Blossom

Floral Design

BEST CANNABIS PRODUCT (LOCAL)

SoL Cannabis

2. Phantom Farms

3. The Source

4. Comstock Cannabis

5. Greenhouse Garden Center

Best Garden Nursery: Moana Nursery. Photo/David Robert

BEST PLACE TO SKATE

Roller Kingdom

2. Idlewild Skatepark

3. Mira Loma

4. Believe Plaza

5. Burgess Skatepark

BEST PLACE TO SWIM

Lake Tahoe

2. Sand Harbor

3. Wild Island

4. Bowers Mansion

5. Carson Valley Swim Center

BEST HIKING TRAIL

Tahoe Rim Trail

2. Hunter Creek Trail

3. Galena Creek Trail

4. Thomas Creek Trail

5. Carson River Trail

BEST GOLF COURSE

Red Hawk Golf and Resort

2. Lakeridge Golf Course

3. Arrowcreek

4. Washoe Golf Course

5. Wolf Run Golf Club

6. Sierra Sage Golf Course

BEST LOCAL HOT SPRINGS

Carson Hot Springs

2. David Walley’s Hot Springs

3. Steamboat Hot Springs

4. Grover Hot Springs

BEST PLACE TO WATCH THE WILD THINGS

Oxbow Nature Study Area

3100 Dickerson Road, Reno

For those who crave an easy walk in natural surroundings—or just want to sit and watch ducks, geese and ground-dwelling critters do their things—a wooded enclave in west Reno offers easy trails and a variety of park benches and tables.

Oxbow Nature Study Area is a 22-acre conservation area and public-access nature space with level hiking trails. It’s along the Truckee River and is home to a host of

The 0.8-mile loop trail is an easy walk that takes an average of 15 minutes to complete, even for an aging editor with two titanium knees. The trail is great for birding as well, and it’s such a hidden gem that it’s never crowded. The nature study area is open year-round and is a great place to monitor the turning of the seasons.

Leave your own fur babies at home, though: Dogs aren’t allowed where the wild

BEST SNOWBOARDING

Mount Rose Ski Tahoe

2. TIE

Palisades Tahoe

Northstar California Resort

4. Heavenly Ski Resort

5. Boreal Mountain

BEST SKI RESORT

Mount Rose Ski Tahoe

2. Palisades Tahoe

3. Northstar California Resort

4. Heavenly Ski Resort

5. Kirkwood Mountain Resort

BEST BICYCLE RIDE

PATH/DESTINATION

Truckee River Bike Trail

2. Lake Tahoe North Shore

3. Tahoe East Shore Trail

4. Thomas Creek

5. Carson River Trail

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (VA) WANTS TO BUY LAND

VA is interested in acquiring land on which it may construct a new Hospital/Medical Center in the Reno / Sparks, NV. VA is looking for a parcel with 50 to 80 acres of developable land. For complete Procurement and Solicitation details and requirements for consideration, visit SAM.gov

Solicitation Number – 36C10F23Q0102

To be considered, the site must meet the criteria listed in the Solicitation Additional Contact Information:

Marianne Marinucci, VA Office of Real Property. marianne.marinucci@va.gov or (202) 632-5468; Ad closes October 31, 2023.

BVD Radio

Bruce Van Dyke’s only on: jiveradio.org/bvd

"Big Bucket O’ Tunes" (a collection of some 4000+ tunes he curated from 2014-’22), old & current ID’s & Blurbs, and outtakes from his morning show on 'The X' in the ’90’s.

Curating a creative movement

As we are reminded every July, Reno is an art town. But ironically, it has historically lacked venues where artists can show their work en masse and potentially sell it—and where collectors can accumulate new works in a range of genres.

Enter the Reno Tahoe International Art Show (RTIA), which debuted in September 2022 with much praise from artists, gallerists, arts organizations and attendees alike for its sheer quantity, variety and exceptional quality of work on display.

The 2022 event brought more than 200 regional artists and furniture designers, more than 40 galleries and features, 80-plus musicians, film-festival programming, a sculpture walk and a First Nations, Indigenous Peoples art pavilion, all under one roof for three days, surpassing expectations for a first-ofits-kind event. As if all that weren’t enough, this year’s event, taking place Sept. 14-17 at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, will double in size.

The show is the brainchild of father-daughter duo Kevin O’Keefe, a long-

time tradeshow organizer, and Briana Dolan, a former marketing executive with a hospitality-design brand that specialized in cruise ships. In 2020, as tradeshows, cruise lines and the entire hospitality industry were upended due to COVID-19, the family relocated from the northeastern U.S. to Reno, which Dolan’s relatives called home. (Her husband is part of the Dolan Auto family.)

O’Keefe and Dolan are also hobby artists— O’Keefe a painter, Dolan a collage artist. With the relocation and O’Keefe’s retirement, he reached out to his daughter for help in creating a website for his work. That idea soon spurred an even bigger one: an online gallery where other Reno-Tahoe artists could display their work and connect with potential buyers. That became the Reno Fine Arts Collective.

They quickly realized they had tapped into something significant.

“There was definitely a palpable desire for more arts, more events and more places to go see art,” Dolan said. “When we got the collective started, the No. 1 thing that we kept hearing people say was, ‘Reno is great for the

arts. There are so many artists here; we’ve got Burning Man … but people who have money don’t buy from local artists. They’ll go to San Francisco, or they go to L.A.’ That was kind of the mantra. So we felt it was the right time to bring an international art show to the area.”

The overarching vision driving Dolan and O’Keefe in the development of the RTIA has been what they call the Reno Creative Movement, similar to what shows like South by Southwest and Art Basel did for Austin and Miami, respectively.

“Anchoring a significant, annual arts and culture extravaganza can change the way a place is seen and how it develops,” Dolan said. “Our goal is to continue growing this thing, and already this year, it will have doubled in size from last year. We’re kind of growing it in the way that makes the most sense for the region and for what we’d like to do, which is very different from the way most art fairs run, which are basically all galleries. That’s not what we’re doing.”

Of course, the RTIA boasts an abundance of visual art, from galleries, arts organizations and independent artists, with genres encompassing paint, photography, sculpture, ceramics, furniture, jewelry, music, film and more.

But what distinguishes the show is its blend of art and hospitality, putting the region’s defining features on display and showcasing what makes Reno-Tahoe special. Partnerships with local hotels, including the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino, and several food/drink establishments provide ticketholders with hotel-room and dining suggestions and discounts, while the show organizers showcase area attractions and nearby events taking place during September.

What’s in store for 2023

This year’s event will occupy the 60,000-square-foot Reno-Sparks Convention Center Hall—plus an additional 40,000 square feet in the form of a welcome lobby highlighting both sculptures and rare cars. The show will include primary components, which the founders call “pillars”: independent artists; galleries and features; sculpture; and entertainment and hospitalities. Nearly 200 exhibitors will be featured at this year’s show. The independent artists area is home to independent artists and arts organizations from around the region. One new addition for 2023 is Foundations, an exhibit of work by RenoTahoe expats now living and working outside the area. All genres of work shown last year will return, with this year’s show bringing AIgenerated art to the mix.

Another new feature in this part of the show is the Art City Invitationals.

“In this concept, we were approaching known art cities in the way we want RenoTahoe to be eventually viewed … places that are known to be very rich in the arts, with galleries and artists, but places that would not necessarily participate in the circuit of art fairs,” Dolan explained. “We’ve invited them to take part in the show and present together as a pavilion from their city.” Artists from Las Vegas, San Francisco, Park City, Laguna Beach/La Jolla, Sedona and Carmel-by-the-Sea will be represented.

At galleries and features, the First Nations, Indigenous Peoples Pavilion will return, in one pavilion this year; additional space will include jewelry and sculpture work. Also returning is the Neon Exhibit, which is expanding to include collectible museum pieces, as well as the Bespoke Furniture exhibit. The Cordillera International Film Festival will present a 90-minute short-film program, and “RTIA Talks” will present a mix of panel discussions, interviews and speakers.

Last year’s popular indoor/outdoor Sculpture Walk will return, with its large- and small-scale works. A new component, a Post Playa Art Feature, will present large-scale pieces that made their debuts at Burning Man this year.

At entertainment and hospitalities, local breweries will be on hand to offer tastings during the show; this year’s event will feature a new VIP lounge and coffee lounge. More than 20 area musicians will take the stage on site, as well as at satellite events and the RTA Awards Gala.

The Reno Tahoe Artist Awards—a separate nonprofit entity—works in concert with the show to recognize regional artists for excellence in six genres. Winners are selected by a panel of jurors. Cash prizes will be awarded in six categories, and a $5,000 grand-prize winner will be chosen from among those six.

Also new this year is the Best of Show Awards, which is a voter-based, jury-assisted program that invites attendees and exhibitors to select their favorites in each of those six artistic categories, as well as a student category. The winners each receive a $1,500 credit toward the 2024 RTIA.

Awards will be distributed at the gala, which is a separately ticketed event, from 7 to 10 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 16.

The Reno Tahoe International Art Show will take place from Thursday, Sept. 14, through Sunday, Sept. 17, at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, 4590 S. Virginia St., in Reno. Tickets are $25 to $95 in advance. For more information, visit rtiashow.com.

This article was originally published by Double Scoop.

The Reno Tahoe International Art Show is doubling in size and adding new features in its second year

Rossitza Todorova is one of the many Reno artists who participated in the 2022 RTIA Show. Photo/Kris Vagner

Celebrating Latinidad

Latino Arte provides theatrical and cultural experiences for oft-forgotten audiences

If you want something done well, do it yourself. That was what Annamaria Cavallone and Mario DelaRosa decided 21 years ago, after becoming frustrated by the lack of Spanish-language arts programming in the Reno area.

Cavallone, a native of Chile, came to Reno in 2000, having fallen in love with the area during a road trip. But there was something she didn’t love, which she frequently expressed to her writer/journalist husband, Mario DelaRosa.

“When I came to Reno, there was no theater for the Latino community. So I said to Mario, ‘I want to see theater, but there is no theater.’ I’d say this every three or four months,” she said, turning to Mario, who sat beside her during the interview. “And what did you say to me?”

“I said, ‘You’re complaining too much. Why don’t you make it?’” DelaRosa said.

Cavallone had earned a bachelor’s degree from the University for the Arts, Sciences and Communication in Chile, with an emphasis in theater, while DelaRosa, a native of Mexico City and a graduate of the University of Nevada’s journalism program, was a skilled writer and editor. The two had met at Ahora, Reno’s former Hispanic-American newspaper, where DelaRosa had been the editor, and Cavallone a reporter. They were knowledgeable,

creatively talented and connected to the Latino community. DelaRosa’s idea was a good one.

Cavallone posted an ad in Ahora inviting people who wanted to act (or who were willing to learn); four women and seven men responded. She had her theater troupe, Brown Eyes Too, which Cavallone says is still only one of seven Latino troupes in the country, and certainly the only one in Nevada.

But they still needed plays to perform. So DelaRosa sat down to write a play about a young woman who wanted to go to college, but whose husband insisted she should only focus on her wifely duties. The short bilingual play, Carmenzita’s Dream, was performed in 2003.

Having originated in two different Latino countries, the couple realized they’d tapped into a huge need for more arts and culture opportunities that were inclusive of all members of the Latinx community. While there is often a tendency to ascribe similar traits to all, they are each distinct. For example, Cavallone had no experience with the tradition of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), which is widely celebrated in Mexico. Their theater company could become a way for her, and others unfamiliar with the tradition, to learn about it.

Once again, DelaRosa penned a play for the company—Dia de los Muertos—which bilingually traces the history of the holiday through the voices of children.

Cavallone and DelaRosa, together with

Mario DelaRosa and Annamaria Cavallone were frustrated by the lack of Spanishlanguage arts programming when they came to the Reno area more than two decades ago—so they took matters into their own hands.

full time—after years of working tirelessly on a volunteer basis while maintaining full-time jobs. They are also committed to paying their performers stipends as well.

Photo/Jessica Santina

their ever-growing troupe of local actors, both amateur and seasoned, have produced 10 plays altogether, usually springing from their desire to learn about people and cultures, be inclusive of others and explore themes that connect us all. These have included a popular Spanishlanguage production of The Vagina Monologues and the original bilingual production of LGBTQIA+ Latinx.

More than theater

The couple’s work began to grow beyond the bounds of theater into special events. The first of these, Fiesta on Wells, they created to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. The popular annual event takes place over four blocks on Wells Avenue, with dozens of vendors and community organizations showcasing their offerings, and live musical performances representing various Latino backgrounds.

Another important feather in their cap is the annual Dia de Los Muertos festival, held on Pueblo Street in front of Reno Little Theater. In addition to booths for vendors, it hosts an original play by DelaRosa and Cavallone telling the story of the holiday, featuring two 12-foottall Catrinas, in costumes made by the pair. Working under the umbrella name Latino Arte, their mission is to expand opportunities for celebrating and learning about Latinidad and sharing it with new audiences.

“We represent diversity,” DelaRosa said. “We want to be included, but we also want to be inclusive.”

Brown Eyes Too, now Teatro Brown Eyes, is still the theatrical arm of Latino Arte, enjoying its status as a resident company at Reno Little Theater for the last eight years. In 2020, the couple secured nonprofit status for Latino Arte, enabling them to commit to the venture

With the help of grants from various local and state agencies, Latino Arte has extended its programming to include last June’s Mariachi and Folklore of the Nations Festival, honoring the art and stories of Indigenous peoples, as well as the bilingual Poetry Encounters event that made its debut in early August, featuring readings from local Latino authors as well as a Spanish book fair, to address another void in the community: Spanish-language books and bookstores.

The company’s growth and increased popularity has also helped it secure evening access to the Activity Center building at Teglia’s Paradise Park in Reno. The large space provides them with a venue for rehearsals, their weekly Native Drum Workshop and other activities.

And there certainly are plenty of activities. The Latino Arte company—which has grown in its 20 years to include a roster of more than 100 actors—is gearing up for this year’s Fiesta on Wells, taking place Sunday, Sept. 24. And its fourth-annual Day of the Dead Festival will extend to five separate area locations on Sunday, Oct. 29: Pueblo Street, the University of Nevada campus, the Nevada Museum of Art, the Carson Valley Community Center in Gardnerville, and a location to be determined in Carson City.

Teatro Brown Eyes will reprise last winter’s bilingual production of The Wizard of Oz in February 2024. The show will appear both in Reno at Reno Little Theater and, thanks to grant funding, in Carson City (at venue to be determined).

Despite their commitment, they say it’s an uphill battle to raise awareness of what they do.

“It’s really hard to bring the Latino community to the theater,” Cavallone says. “For events, it’s not so hard, but now we have so many events taking place on the same day here.

So we hope that now we have this building, it helps.”

For more information, visit www.latinoarte.org.

A photo from last year’s Day of the Dead Festival. This year’s is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 29.

A funny family

Sunny Sandler Shines—as does her dad, Adam—in a new coming-of-age comedy; ‘Blue Beetle’ is saved by decent action

Adam Sandler gets his family in on the act with You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, an adorable and consistently funny teen comedy that moves his youngest daughter, Sunny Sandler, into the spotlight. In what amounts to her breakout role, Sunny plays Stacy Friedman, a teen about to partake in the movie’s titular event. She

proves to be a wonderful presence. Sandler’s oldest daughter, Sadie, shows up in a supporting role, as does his wife, Jackie, as the mom of another teen, Lydia (Samantha Lorraine), Sunny’s best friend. All of the Sandlers, including Adam playing Danny, Sunny’s dad, prove that goofy-breezy comedic talent runs in the family. They’re also all capable of handling the heavy dramatic parts—

A scene from You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah.

and unsurprisingly, they have great chemistry together.

In the year’s second-best movie about a young girl coming of age (the similarly themed Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret is still my frontrunner as the year’s best film), Stacy must mitigate the emotional swings and body changes that come with being a teenager while preparing herself for that all-important bat mitzvah.

The bat mitzvahs in this movie are full-blown social events that command large budgets, vast planning and crazy DJs. Stacy and Lydia are planning to help each other out until a battle brews over a boy, Andy (a very laid-back Dylan Hoffman)—and their friendship is imperiled.

Credit director Sammi Cohen for keeping things lively, working with a script by Alison Peck and Fiona Rosenbloom. The film is full of bright colors and plenty of giggles, with more than a few belly laughs thrown in. It’s no mistake that there’s a scene where Danny takes Stacy to a John Hughes film festival. This film shoots for a similar vibe—and succeeds.

It’s also quite surprising on the drama side, as Stacy can tear up with the best of them, and Adam (who has a significant amount of screen time) hits all the right notes, utilizing those dramatic chops he’s refined over the years. In fact, this might be Adam Sandler’s most finely balanced comedic role yet, relying less on his Billy Madison/Waterboy outlandish side (which I happen to love) and leaning more toward being a real human.

While Sandler’s real wife plays somebody else’s wife in the film, top-billed Idina Menzel has a lot of fun as Bree, Stacy’s mom. One of the film’s greatest casting triumphs would be the already-legendary Sarah Sherman, of Saturday Night Live fame, as Rabbi Rebecca—not your average cinematic rabbi. She has a bit on a treadmill that is one of the movie’s highlights.

Above all, the film shows that Sunny Sandler has a career ahead of her in the entertainment industry. You can cry nepotism all you want, but talent is talent, and Sunny is a glorious chip off a reliably entertaining block.

You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah is now streaming on Netflix.

The latest DC Universe film feels like something Marvel would reserve for one of their TV shows. It’s relatively entertaining, but it follows a wellworn formula—to the point where the

superheroes are starting to feel interchangeable. Blue Beetle has to do with a symbiote that turns its host into something that resembles a combination of Iron Man and Spider-Man. The film feels cobbled together—but it’s also enjoyable enough to justify its existence. Yeah, that’s not a ringing endorsement, but it is late summer, and you could certainly do a lot worse.

OK, that’s still not a ringing endorsement.

The movie has a bit of a made-for-streaming feel to it, probably because it stars Xolo Mariduena, of Netflix’s Cobra Kai, as Jaime Reyes, aka Blue Beetle, while former TV talkshow host George Lopez plays his crazy uncle. (A little research reveals that the film was, in fact, originally intended for a streaming release.)

When Jaime shows up at a large business’ headquarters located in the fictional Palmera City looking for a job, he’s unwittingly given a high-grade weapon in a burger box by Jenny (Bruna Marquezine). That night at dinner with his family, they take the blue insect-like object out of the box, and it proceeds to journey up Jaime’s ass. (No joke; that’s what happens.) When it’s up in there, it fuses with his body—and he sprouts metallic appendages and a militaristic armor reminiscent of Tony Stark’s best.

Jaime can shoot force blasts, is bulletproof, can fly, and is controlled by some sort of artificial-intelligence system. As he battles an evil military conglomerate led by Susan Sarandon (yep, she plays the film’s baddie), he figures out how to work in accordance with the AI. (While it isn’t mentioned, he’s probably also dealing with some serious anal fissures.)

There’s a fun family element to the movie, as Lopez’s uncle character, Jaime’s nana (Adriana Barraza) and his sis (Belissa Escobedo) get in on the villain-fighting act. The movie is a little slow in stretches, but it definitely soars in its second half thanks to competent action direction by Angel Manuel Soto, as well as a terrific score.

Blue Beetle didn’t light up the box office, so chances for a sequel are probably dim. It’s fun, but it probably should’ve gotten that premiere on Max, not the big screen.

Xolo Mariduena in Blue Beetle.

Yellow leaves, red wines

The end of summer is a wonderful time to try new light red wines

As summer turns to fall, the days start getting shorter; the nights get colder; and leaves turn from green to yellow.

This is also the time for the color of our wine to start changing—from yellow to red. Yes, I like all types of wines during every season, but there is nothing like a light red wine on a cool fall day.

So, what is a light red wine? They’re often identified by several factors. They’re usually wines made from grapes grown in cool climate locations. They have flavor profiles of red fruits, like raspberries, strawberries and cherries. They’re lower in tannins and higher in acidity.

There are many grapes varieties that fall into these categories. I’ll highlight a few of my favorites that are easy to find—and a couple that are well worth the search.

Globally, the most popular light red wine is pinot noir. Pinot noir is grown in cooler regions; it’s a finicky grape that doesn’t like to grow everywhere, but wherever it does grow, it creates unique flavors. If you have tried pinots that you haven’t enjoyed, try one from a different region—and you may be pleasantly surprised. Some of my favorite pinots come from the Santa Cruz Mountains. These wines have a lot of earthy, forest-floor flavors that are often described as “funk.” Fun fact: Pinot noir wines often have such a light color that you can see through them.

Just south of the Alps in Italy is the home to both the grape and wine lambrusco.

Lambrusco is a sparkling wine that can be sweet or dry, but it is always light. The bubbles make it taste even lighter, and it’s great with a little chill on it.

The next light red wine I love is Gamay noir—the most popular of which is known as Beaujolais. These wines are produced in France in the Beaujolais Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée—a wine region just like Napa and Sonoma, just with more rules that the winemakers must follow.

Red Beaujolais comes in two main styles: Beaujolais, and Beaujolais nouveau. If you haven’t tried a Beaujolais nouveau, I strongly recommend you get in line at your favorite wine store on the third Thursday of November. Beaujolais nouveau wines are fermented using carbonic maceration—an anaerobic environment fermentation process—for just a couple of weeks before release. The unique fermentation process creates an effect like having Pop Rocks candy on your tongue.

I am a huge fan of Spanish wines, and one of the most popular light Spanish wines is garnacha. Even though it is originally from Spain, it is considered a Southern Rhone wine, and if you are buying wines made from this grape from anywhere but Spain, it will be spelled in the French style as grenache.

I reached out to local sommelier and wine expert Dani Morris to ask her about her favorite light red wines.

“Grenache blends from the Cotes du Rhone region in Southern France are my favorite go-

to,” she said. “I’m always running out of these bottles at my house! Cotes du Rhone pairs well with just about any dish that calls for red wine, because it is light enough not to overwhelm your palate, yet has the perfect amount of spice, fruit and tannin, which gives it some beautiful structure. Plus, these wines can be easy on your wallet and deliver extraordinary value!”

I asked Morris what makes Cotes du Rhone grenache-based wines so wonderful for this time of year.

“Cotes du Rhone is a great seasonal ‘transition’ red, because it’s not too heavy or boozy,” she said. “With its characteristic black pepper spice and a touch of funky earthiness, it will be a great complement to your late-summer recipes on the grill. When you’re ready to revive your oven from its summer slumber, grenache is the perfect accompaniment to hearty dishes like roast chicken and pork loin.”

Feeling more adventurous? Look for Zweigelt, St. Laurent or blaufränkisch wines from the cool climate of Austria and Germany. Or perhaps you can find a cinsaut, counoise or pinotage.

Always remember: Your personal taste is what matters most, but one should never be afraid to try something new—and this is the perfect time of year to try a new light red wine.

Dani Morris offers private wine tastings, wine-pairing dinners, and both online and in-person wine and spirit classes—including her eight-week wine tourist program, which starts at the end of September. Learn more at fullglassevents.com.

The Reno News & Review is looking to expand its paid freelance writing team! We are looking for:

• News freelancers

• Beer columnist

• Cannabis writer

• Events preview writers

If you have the knowledge, the desire, and the ability to write and report, email a resume, clips/writing samples and anything else you would like to share to jimmyb@renonr.com!

Sommelier Dani Morris: “Cotes du Rhone pairs well with

just

about

any

dish that calls for red wine.” Photo/ David Robert

[Your byline here.]

TASTE OF THE TOWN TASTE OF THE TOWN

Happenings

The Nugget’s Best in the West Rib Cook Off continues through Monday, Sept. 4, in Sparks’ Victorian Square. With more than two dozen of the country’s best barbecue vendors, and a wide variety of activities, including an arts and crafts vendor show, a kids’ area, and top entertainment, it’s—cliché alert!—fun for the whole family. Details at nuggetribcookoff.com.

Saint Anthony’s 34th Annual Reno Greek Festival takes place Friday and Saturday, Sept. 8 and 9, at Saint Anthony Greek Orthodox Christian Church, 4795 Lakeside Drive. Enjoy Greek music, dancing and, of course, a vast selection of Greek eats like gyros, spanakopita and loukoumades. For more festival information, visit renogreekfest.com.

Bacon, Bourbon and Brews takes place from 1 to 6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 9, at Bartley Ranch Regional Park, at 6000 Bartley Ranch Road, in Reno. The event will feature tastings of distilled spirits, craft brews and bacon-inspired bites. Attendees can also enjoy pop-up shops, live music, a silent auction and Oktoberfest-themed games. All proceeds benefit CARE Chest in its mission to help provide Nevadans with free, life-changing medical resources. Learn more at get tickets at carechest.org.

The third annual Legends of Beer Festival, hosted by IMBĪB Custom Brews, returns to the Sparks Outlets at Legends on Saturday, Sept. 23. The festival include a “beer-mile relay” and features more than 30 craft breweries. Guests can enjoy more than just beer; other options include canned cocktails, mead, cider, seltzer, liquor samples and craft non-alcoholic beverage options. Get the scoop at www.facebook.com/ LegendsofBeerFestival.

Local nonprofit Urban Roots’ Soil Palooza returns Saturday, Sept. 30, at the Urban Roots Teaching Farm at 1700 E. Second St., in Reno. This familyfriendly event will include live music, food and drinks, as well as educational demonstrations throughout the farm. Urban Roots’ mission is to change the way communities eat and learn through garden-based education. For tickets and more information, head to urgc.org.

Can’t wait until October to celebrate Oktoberfest? Von Bismarck, 805 S. Wells Ave., in Reno, will host its celebration on Sunday, Sept. 24; details at vbreno.com. Brewer’s Cabinet, at 475 S. Arlington Ave., will have its event on Saturday, Sept.

continued on next page

Second chance at a first impression

A conversation with Lucas Huff of Minden Mill Distilling

Out in Minden, there is an oasis of spirited alcohol now called Minden Mill Distilling. However, many people know it by its previous name, Bently Heritage.

The previous owners recently sold the distillery to the Foley family, whose accomplishments include successful alcohol brands—and owning the Las Vegas Knights hockey team. Very few people have been at the distillery from its conception to where it is today, and even fewer know the product and the distillery as well as Lucas Huff.

I recently sat down with Huff to discuss where he started at the distillery—and where he is now, under the new leadership of the Foley family.

Huff started with Bently Heritage as part of the original team brought in to create a world-class experience.

“I and the rest of the opening team started 14 months before the distillery opened in February of 2019.” Huff said. “There were 13 of us who started together, and many of us who were there at the beginning were there until the end.”

The end came in early March 2022. However, Huff emphasized that the end and transition were handled basically as well as they could have been.

“While we lost some essential people, some of my best friends, a core group of us were part of the retention staff,” he said.

This retention staff operated the distillery, giving prospective buyers tours and living in limbo until a few months ago—a whopping 16 months.

Bently Heritage was only open to the public for about a year—COVID-19 shuttered it from March 2020 until it closed for good—so that means Huff and the team he started with worked for 14 months to get it open, could only share it with the world for about a year, and then had to wait 16 months before they could share it with the world again.

“To put it as simply as possible, it was tumultuous,” he said. “We are open. We are closed. You are losing your job—no, wait, you are not. To get to this spot I am at now, where I was a part of the first Foley family tours, and to know I am trusted and valued, is huge. You

can’t put a value on that; it’s my future.”

That future is bright at Minden Mill Distilling, with the distillery and brand poised to expand and utilize the significant infrastructure with which they have to work. Huff is now a Foley Family Spirits national ambassador, a role that will have him overseeing the growing Foley Family Spirits portfolio, including an array of ultra-premium spirits coming from Minden Mill.

Starting Sept. 9, the distillery will be open to the public again, offering Foley Family Wines, a curated cocktail list featuring cocktails developed by Huff (try the sarsaparilla old fashioned—trust me) and even a vodka-andcaviar tasting experience with one of the best views in all of Nevada.

“The people who did not see the distillery before we closed now have an opportunity to experience it, and that’s all that matters,” Huff said. “It is a second chance at a first impression.”

For more information, visit foleyfamilywines.com/spirits.

Lucas Huff: “The people who did not see the distillery before we closed now have an opportunity to experience it, and that’s all that matters.” Photo/David Robert

| BY MARC TIAR

TASTE OF THE TOWN TASTE OF THE TOWN

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30; visit thebrewerscabinet.com/ oktoberfest-2023.

Openings

Homegrown beer empire

As a beer writer and general beer-obsessed person, I’m sometimes asked about my favorite beer. I don’t really have one, but when it comes to our local breweries, there is one standout for me—a producer of consistently high-quality beer across a range of styles, one that I will always recommend to visitors, brag about when I travel and share when I want to impress another beer nerd.

That brewery is IMBĪB (www.imbib. beer). Full disclosure: I’ve known cofounder Matt Johnson since before the brewery existed, but I truly don’t believe that biases me, and I gain nothing, fiscally or otherwise, from my praise.

Pronounced “imbibe,” and semi-officially standing for Independent Master Brewers of Innumerable Beverages, IMBĪB brings forth everything I want in a brewery. While many craft breweries, intentionally or simply due to market forces, tend to focus on a narrow selection of brews—heavy imperial stouts, hazy IPAs or light lagers, perhaps—IMBĪB produces an impressive variety of highquality beer. Although they’ve become well known for their sour beer, which is certainly

excellent, I equally enjoy their IPAs, stouts and Belgian-influenced beers. It’s a testament to brewmaster Jason Green’s skill that their non-sour beers aren’t just perfunctory additions to round out the tap list; they are all made according to traditional style guidelines, while still considering modern trends and the alwayschanging palates of beer drinkers.

What seems like an eternity ago, IMBĪB was just a homebrew club that co-founder Matt Johnson started. He recruited Green and recognized his talent; soon the idea of turning the hobby into a business was born.

“The original idea was going to be a homebrew (supply) shop and brewery, and maybe some brew-on-premise,” a business where customers can brew small batches of their own creations, Green said. “It was going to be all three of those, but then we realized quickly that we needed double the space, and there was BrewChatter opening, so we scratched the homebrew shop completely and just went full nanobrewery.”

Additional features like a “collaborator club,” with members voting on special releases and custom-ordered brews, were also part of the plan.

The IMBĪB brewery opened in 2015 in an old brick building with little fanfare and much sweat equity. A small brewing system, a bar and decor largely influenced by their use and love of barrels greeted visitors. Within just a few years, Green and his masterful work—designing and brewing the beers, often aging and blending them using the many wine and spirit barrels stacked high throughout the facility—began to shine, with regular awards in some of the most prestigious beer competitions in the country. Visitors today will see the array of medals, often for their sour beers, proudly on display.

With time, the limitations of the little brewery on Second Street began to show. A lack of neighborhood foot traffic hindered discovery by new customers, and limited retail distribution kept sales largely reliant on brewery visitors. “When we opened in 2015, there were 4,500 breweries (in the country),” Johnson said. “There will be over 10,000 this year, so it’s more than doubled. It was competitive when we opened, so now it’s hypercompetitive.”

Eventually, with a leap of faith—and poor timing, just months before the pandemic— IMBĪB opened a second location, a cozy taproom at the Outlets at Legends in Sparks.

“We never thought we would open up a taproom in a mall, (but) we saw the potential of it,” Johnson said. “I think what we’re trying to do over here is … build a little bit of a sense of community. We want people, especially Sparks people, to have a place to go to have fun.”

Continuing that goal, they decided to start a beer festival, dubbed, appropriately, the Legends of Beer Festival (legendsofbeer.beer). Local and regional breweries share their creations—and in a unique twist, there’s a “beer mile” relay, during which participants chug a beer before running their quarter-mile segment of the race. The Legends of Beer Festival will soon return for its third year, on Saturday, Sept. 23.

The story of IMBĪB is not done being written. The most recent chapter meant seizing the vacant restaurant space adjacent to the Sparks taproom earlier this year, and opening IMBĪB Eats & Drinks, a modern restaurant serving “elevated beer food” to pair with their comprehensive selection of taps, bottles and cans. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed a few of their internationally inspired sausage meals and crispy shoestring fries since they opened.

What’s next for this bustling little homegrown beer empire? For now: stability: Maybe someday: Jason Green dreams of a true farmhouse brewery, where they grow their own ingredients, harvest local wild yeast and truly capture the local “terroir” in their beer.

If anyone can do it, it’s these guys.

South Reno’s new Meadow Creek Center has gained a new pizza joint: Longboards Pizza, at 15435 Wedge Parkway. The restaurant, which offers “beach fired” pizzas, calzones and salads, joins The Cheese Board, Hub Coffee Roasters, Pinon Bottle Co. and others in the growing retail center. Learn more at longboardspizza.com.

Nick the Greek, a popular Greek restaurant chain, is coming to Reno at 5140 Kietzke Lane, offering Mediterranean pita sandwiches, plates and bowls; www.nickthegreek.com.

The Bali Express food truck has opened, serving authentic Balinese and Indonesian fare. Follow them on Instagram to find where they’ll be next: www.instagram.com/Bali_Express2023.

Papa What You Cooking has opened in The Basement, at 50 S. Virginia St., in Reno, with Southern classics like red beans and rice, greens and cornbread, sweet potato pecan pie and sock-it-to-me cake. Get the 411 at papawhatyoucooking. square.site.

La Estacion Neveria y Snacks is new to 1185 California Ave., in Reno. You’ll find ice cream, paletas, agua frescas, Mexican snacks and more; instagram. com/laestacionco.

The Reno Public Market , at 299 E. Plumb Lane. is welcoming two new food vendors: Noodle Station, serving Japanese fare like bao, ramen and udon; and Mediterranean Bae, serving Mediterranean classics like shish kebabs, plates and wraps. Get details at www. renopublicmarket.com/our-merchants.

Have local food, drink or restaurant news or information? Email me at foodnews@renonr.com.

—Maude Ballinger

IMBĪB continues to grow while maintaining high levels of quality

Co-founders Jason Green and Matt Johnson show off various IMBĪB products. Photo/ David Robert

Chemistry locked in

Queam shows what happens when the rhythm section takes the lead

Say it with me: “Queam.”

“Whenever we tell someone the name, it’s, like, they’re immediately upset,” said Mike Adragna, bassist and vocalist of the Reno-based duo. “People either have strong positive reactions to it or strong negative reactions to it.”

Added JD Christison, his musical partner, drummer and vocalist: “And we kind of love that.”

What started as an offhand joke referencing one of the group’s favorite bands, Cream, soon became a symbol of how Adragna and Christison approach both their sonic philosophy and the entire music industry. Now, three years after its founding, Queam is a live-looping, drum-and-bass funk machine that uses digital wizardry and solid musical chops to produce something weird, new and—above all—fun.

“We just try to take the piss out of the idea of being in a band and taking it really seriously,” said Christison. “I think a lot of people really take that seriously, like, ‘Oh, you guys are never going to make it with a name like that.’ The whole point is not to ‘make it.’ It’s just to do what we want to do, how we want to do it.”

Queam is the passion project of two

longtime Reno musicians who, in their words, have done their fair share of heavy lifting for other bands around town over the past decade—both rhythmically and physically. (Drum kits aren’t easy to lug around.)

“We were always the rhythm section of bands, and we always held it down in that regard,” Christison said. “We’ve always been under the tutelage of other people, kind of like giving us direction. With this project, we wanted to take the reins in that regard, and just take more of a melodic forefront and become the brains of the operation, rather than just the brawn.”

Christison and Adragna met through mutual acquaintances in 2012, but first played together as part of local space-rock outfit Bazooka Zoo in 2014. They immediately clicked, recognizing they were “locked in” to a mutual chemistry that a good drums-and-bass pairing needs to carry a beat.

“I think most bass players, if they have to play with a poor drummer, it’s not going to be a good time,” Adragna said. “You kind of immediately see where the drummer stacks up. And I just remember really kind of hitting it off musically.”

From then on, they relished the chance to play together in whatever project they could find. It wasn’t until the start of the pandemic in

2020 that they decided to team up as a duo and see where their rhythm-section sensibilities— along with a few new tricks—could take them. In the initial months of the lockdowns, the pair wrote most of their early tracks, intending them to be solely instrumental. After Adragna purchased and learned to work a live-looping machine and other digital effects for his bass and vocals, they switched gears to a fuller sound.

“With this project, we really wanted to focus on doing a lot with a little,” said Christison. “We want to bring the audience these very calculated and dense compositions, melodically and rhythmically, and do it in a way where we’re looping constantly. Mike is tremendous at making those kinds of compositions on the fly, and he’s become very good at looping.”

After an initial, self-recorded release, freesh, in 2021, Queam followed it up with their first studio album, WHIPT, in February of this year. Recorded in the home studio of producer Quinton Bunk, WHIPT showcases Queam’s rock bona fides with intricate beats and punchy riffs à la Rage Against the Machine on tracks like “WGAFAT,” which comments on consumerism in the age of Amazon, and group vocals that would make the Beastie Boys proud. Later, “Molly” and “Don’t Worry” take

a more melodic, almost indie-rock approach, with dreamy, distorted vocals and pitched-up bass lines.

The live-looping nature of their sound presented a technical challenge to record.

“It was very much a learning experience for me, because I couldn’t just go in there and play songs how I usually do; otherwise, it would just give the engineer, like, one fat track with every single part on top,” Adragna said. “But I think what came out was really good. The things that needed to be looped were looped, and then the things where I could play live, we’d do some flourishes on the baseline where otherwise it would have just been static the whole time.”

With a couple of live shows under their belts, Christison and Adragna have turned their attention to the future of the project, writing new music while reinventing some of the fundamentals of their sound. While their existing recorded work focuses on funky grooves and an almost pop-like ethos, they’re recording new material that embodies a darker sound, with Adragna taking the lead on vocals instead of Christison. They hope to record their new material this fall.

“I have a deeper, less-polished voice than JD,” Adragan said. “And this is new to me, doing a lot of singing through an effects processor—you know, some distortion, some delay—and I think a lot of that informed the material from there. It’s definitely darker and heavier, with maybe more of that, like, postpunk sort of feel.”

It’s this freedom to reinvent and experiment that the members of Queam most appreciate about their joint venture. Making decisions on their sound and the direction of the band is easier with only two members, they said, and positive reactions to their last few live shows have given them the drive to keep writing and performing. While past projects have been a grind, Queam continues to be fun.

“If you’re a creative person, you will encounter times of just struggle, where it’s hard to do your craft and hard to make it seem worthwhile to you, even though you love it so much,” Christison said. “(In other bands), we have kind of encountered moments of just like, ‘Hmm, should we keep this going?’ The aspect of playing music is the main thing that we just want to really drive home with this project. It’s just about getting together and doing our thing and being friends and making music in the way we want to do it.”

For more information, visit www.instagram. com/soundslikequeam.

JD Christison and Mike Adragna are Queam. Photo/David Robert

THE LUCKY 13

Nic Graver

Guitarist and vocalist for Night Rooms

Night Rooms, based in Reno, serves up dreamy jangle pop with psychedelic lead guitar, and bass and drum grooves. Their music can range from surfy, to punk, to chill—and back again. Their most recent release was a live EP, Live ’22 (recorded at Cypress Reno), featuring some harder rock tones and more aggressive vocals. For more info on Night Rooms, visit instagram. com/night_rooms. The band has gone through a number of lineup changes and styles, yet guitarist and vocalist Nic Graver has always remained.

What was the first concert you attended?

My dad took us to see The Who at the (Reno) Events Center when I was pretty young. Those were some of the first chord progressions I learned on guitar.

What was the first album you owned?

The first record I had was pretty randomly

The Raw and the Cooked by Fine Young Cannibals. For CDs, the first one I was obsessed with, in sixth grade, was Move Along by All-American Rejects.

What bands are you listening to right now?

I listen to Jerry Paper every day. I love how cohesive their albums are, and I have no skips on any of them. I’ve also been listening to lots of Goose live sets. I’ve also been playing constant Ovlov, Stove, and Stuck, which are all fairly recent discoveries for me.

What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?

It’s very specific, but lately, I’ve been critical of lyrics that are too direct with their references to other bands or eras. There is a way to write a new song with Grateful Dead-type lyrics without just saying, “and then we listened to the Grateful Dead.”

What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?

I would love to see my favorite jazz guitarist, Jack Wilkins, with his trio in their prime. Most people discover him the way I did, through the sampling of his recording of “Red Clay” for beats, but that whole album is slept on.

What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?

There’s this 1960 album called Folk Songs for the 21st Century by Sheldon Allman—big band arrangements with some Western flare, with lyrics all about sci-fi happenings as they were imagined back then. It’s very

| BY MATT KING

interesting and creative music to me, but it is weird as hell, and I don’t share it with anyone.

What’s your favorite music venue?

The Holland Project has played such a major role in Reno and in so many Reno musicians’ lives that it’s hard to pick anywhere else. To have seen some of my favorite bands there in an intimate setting is really special. Touring bands always tell me how much they love playing Holland compared to loud, uninterested bars.

What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?

The entirety of Life Is Delicious by Tummy+.

What band or artist changed your life? How? Fleet Foxes. Their music has a completely unique feeling, and Robin Pecknold’s lyrics just may be my all-time favorite. It changed my life to hear something so distinct from everything else I was hearing, and that sounded in some ways eternal and ancient, and in others very contemporary.

You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking?

I’m asking Frank Ocean what his next plans are.

What song would you like played at your funeral? “Night on Earth” by Jerkcurb, but this question has got me thinking a lot. I definitely recognize a certain feeling in a song of, “Play this at my funeral.” I have a playlist just called “that feeling” that I couldn’t pin down at the time, but now it feels like any song on that playlist would fit this.

Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?

The House by Porches, but if you asked me for the greatest album, I would say To Pimp a Butterfly by Kendrick Lamar.

What song should everyone listen to right now? “Montezuma” by Fleet Foxes. It will make you wonder what song should play at your funeral.

“A Lack of Publicity”— two key letters are missing.

By Matt Jones

Across 1. Amorphous shape

5. Sound system setting

9. Malia Obama’s sister

14. Clue weapon

15. Friend, in France

16. Up to

17. God with a war chariot

18. “Cheerio!”

19. Job for 24-Across

20. Emptying and refilling freezer trays, perhaps?

23. Longoria of Desperate Housewives

24. Game show figures

25. Headline about an exonerated kitchen appliance?

31. Kool-Aid, e.g.

32. La ___ Opera House

33. Up to now

37. “What’s ___ for me?”

39. Abu Dhabi dignitaries

41. Get up

42. Aquarium fish

44. Heptathlon unit

46. Image file extension

47. Run away, but end up locking lips?

50. Blood partner?

52. Former WWE rival

53. Buyer’s remorse sound?

59. Impressive layout

60. “Believe ___ Not”

61. Staff member?

63. “Filthy” riches

64. House of Havana

65. Meeting method

66. Islamic scholars

67. Literary whaler

68. A as in A.D.

Down

1. Maidenform product

2. Footloose actress Singer

3. Oil org.

4. Make an appearance

5. 1989 Prince song for a movie soundtrack

6. Key of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7, briefly

7. In ___ (as found)

8. Black, Red, and Yellow, among others

9. Call to court

10. Genealogical discovery

11. Time on a job

12. Clues

13. Math subj.

21. Alamo competitor

22. Not just any

25. Bypass

26. Creeping plant

27. Go offstage

28. Given a title

29. Bartender’s garnish

30. Symbol above the 6

34. Island nation near Tonga

35. Nile biters

36. Bylaws, briefly

38. Commercial forest area

40. Alaskan entree

43. “That too”

45. Dash gadget

48. Weird Al’s first movie

49. Angola’s unit of currency (the holiday ends in the double letter)

50. Discussion group

51. Blood Wedding playwright

Federico Garcia

54. 12-point type

55. “Industry” state

56. Painter Bonheur

57. Any time now

58. King’s Scholars institution

59. Boxing champion Laila

62. Music genre for Fall Out Boy

© 2023 Matt Jones

Find the answers in the “About” section at RenoNR.com!

The Reno Cancer Foundation is a nonprofit that works to “give a helping hand to those affected by cancer in Northern Nevada.” The foundation is supported by donations, as well as a yearly golf tournament—which will take place on Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Washoe Golf Course. To learn more about the Reno Cancer Foundation or to register for the tournament, visit www. renocancerfoundation.org.

What is the history of the foundation and its mission?

The mission of the Reno Cancer Foundation is to give a sense of hope, and to ease the burdens of cancer by providing compassionate support to local cancer patients and their families. The foundation was incorporated in 1945. It serves all patients diagnosed with cancer to help them afford their treatment and/ or support. It is not a complete support system, but it does help with housing, utilities, the cost of medication, car repairs, temporary lodging and any other cost that may arise during a patient’s battle for their life. Many of us are working hard for our money and do not have the extra finances available if illness strikes. Imagine $100 to $200 copays weekly for chemotherapy or radiation treatments. Then add to that the cost of medications needed to prevent nausea, vomiting or other side effects, and it can

BY DAVID ROBERT

cost anywhere from $100 to $1,000 extra per month. I do not know of too many people who can afford these extra costs over their battle, which can continue for years, so having an organization that can assist is crucial for many patients. I have heard many times that without the foundation, the patient would not have pursued treatment. In the previous fiscal year, the Reno Cancer Foundation distributed more than $346,000 in direct financial support.

How do you raise funds to keep the foundation running?

The golf tournament is the only consistent fundraiser. We do apply for local grants and accept donations.

How and when did the golf tournament start?

The idea was born … during a fire drill. Lois (Bynum, the Reno Cancer Foundation) executive director) and I were discussing the declining grants and monies coming into the foundation, and she was saying if the foundation did not try something new, it was in danger of not being able to help people. I went home and thought about what I could do to give this local iconic organization a boost. So after sleeping on it and golfing in (another local) golf tournament, I approached Lois and asked if she would like to throw a golf tournament. With the help of the director of (the other tournament), friends, family and the pro at Wildcreek, our tournament was born. The first year for the tournament was 2015. Technically, this is the ninth year. However, we were unable to host (the tournament) during the pandemic. Many of our sponsors continued to donate and support us, for which we are extremely grateful.

Any interesting or humorous stories from the tournament over the years?  We have always tried to find new ways to fundraise at the tournament and have gone so far as, one year, to have a dunk tank and host a “Dunk the Doctor.” We use this day for all abilities in golf and have a scramble format, with tons of fun games and activities along the course for everyone.

How can the public help?

We could use any raffle prize donations, lunch or food donations, any funding or any donation to the foundation.

Shannon Pierpoint

Nurse and board member of the Reno Cancer Foundation

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LIBERACE: REAL AND BEYOND | NOW OPEN

From a humble upbringing to superstardom, Liberace was beloved worldwide but especially in Nevada. Visit Las Vegas to see his extravagant costumes, flashy piano, personal photos, and more on display.