Reno’s ongoing growth is going to require a major gear shift
Welcome to the June print edition of the RN&R! Thanks for picking up a copy.
I was glad to hear that Rep. Mark Amodei’s plan to sell off public lands in Washoe, Clark, Lyon and Pershing counties did not move forward.
I’ll side with many Dems when I say I was concerned about the lack of transparency around the land-sales proposal. But I take issue with many Dems on another front—the diehard NIMBYism that comes along with trying to address our housing crisis and ongoing population increase.
Most Renoites seem to agree that we need more housing. We also seem to agree that we need it anywhere but in our own neighborhoods.
So, how do we best plan for Reno’s inevitable expansion, with its patchwork of conflicting priorities and stakeholders? I honestly don’t know. But we do need to face the reality that most states in the West—and Nevada in particular—have high rates of transiency and transplants, and probably will for the foreseeable future. At some point, we’ll need to embrace that reality if we want to maintain access to one of the best things about living in the Reno metro area—all of that amazing open space nearby. Getting used to the idea of urban infill is going to be a necessary step.
On another note, the RN&R’s 2025 Best of Northern Nevada readers’ poll is now open. You can write in your favorite businesses, personalities and all of the other things that give our region its own special flavor during first-round voting, open through Friday, June 6.
In Round 2, open June 16 to July 20, you can cast your final vote from a list of finalists.
We’ll share the results with you online at RenoNR.com on Aug. 29, and in our September print edition. Visit vote. renonr.com to vote!
LETTERS
Art is a source of community pride
Kris Vagner, thanks for the informative and positive editor’s note on art in the Reno community (“Money spent on the arts isn’t wasted,” RN&R, May 2025).
It is important, as you say, for art to flourish in a community because of the dollars it brings in. And it is important for a community’s pride and sense of itself, for the influence that art has on the human psyche.
Reno’s Nevada Museum of Art is a fabulous place, run by courageous and creative people. Like Reno itself, it shows off where it lives.
Reno is a town full of unusual art. (The astonishing Burning Man art that pops up everywhere.) Reno invites all travelers with the freeway art celebrating Indigenous people, native flora and fauna, and Nevada rock piled and landscaped for our joy.
Thanks for the phrase about how art works—“that has kept you holding on in hard times.” It touched me. You’re a good writer. This particular “note,” a piece of art in itself, should be handwritten, framed and hung in the art museum.
Colleen O’Brien Sparks
Email letters to letters@renonr.com
Up with musical theater!
Extensive research shows that musical theater is a distinct and unique category of performing arts. Scholarly articles from experts in musical theater, psychoanalysis, computer science and journalism have all approached the same conclusion: Musical theater has developed independently from other plays, and will continue to advance in new, unpredictable and fascinating ways.
COVID-19 hit theaters very hard, and many shows worldwide were forced to close. Local theaters also had to close down for COVID, and while they have reopened by now, the pandemic has left lasting cultural impacts.
I encourage you, if you read this, to get involved! Reno has such a diverse crew of people who put their whole hearts into the theaters here. There’s always a venue and show for everyone. Watch a show, and you might even start a lifelong love of the theater, like I did.
This summer, I’ll be volunteering at the Reno Little Theater to be a part of the growing community. I hope to see you in the audience!
Nathanael Hsu Reno
Liberals’
pretension helped Trump get elected
As much as I dislike the “Orange Man” and all
he stands for, I have come to the realization of just why it is that he is in office again. I only need to look in the mirror, and the answer presents itself: It is people like me, a lifelong Democrat, who have put him there.
For far too many years, we liberals have preached and not listened, and insisted that our views are the only views. Despicable, deplorable, detestable, damnable and a few other “D” words that I can’t recall, are what Hillary Clinton called Trump’s supporters the first time around. What hubris.
Well, “them people” finally figured out that they, too, have a voice—which the rest of us have been disregarding, marginalizing and demeaning. I recall Nancy Pelosi blathering about how “elections have consequences” a few years back. Well, she really nailed it. But, like far too many of her fellow Dems, she hangs on way past her “due date.” Witness the humiliating spectacle of Sleepy Joe fumbling his way through his first, and mercifully only debate.
The Democratic Party has utterly lost its way and has no clue how to find it again.
At no time since the Civil War has the country been so fragmented and close to decomposing. Whose fault is this? Just look in the mirror and ask the question, Mr. Know-It-All.
Geoffrey Lynn Giles Reno
—KRIS VAGNER krisv@renonr.com
Cover illustration by Mike
Grimm
Mailing address: 31855 Date Palm Drive, No. 3-263, Cathedral City, CA 92234 • 775-324-4440 • RenoNR.com
Publisher/Executive Editor
Jimmy Boegle
Managing Editor
Kris Vagner
Editor at Large
Frank X. Mullen
Photo Editor
David Robert
Cover and Feature Design
Dennis Wodzisz
Distribution Lead
Rick Beckwith
Contributors
Matt Bieker, Alex Cubbon, Loryn Elizares, Bob Grimm, Helena Guglielmino, Matt Jones, Matt King, Kelley Lang, Chris Lanier, Michael Moberly, Steve Noel, Alice Osborn, Dan Perkins, Carol Purroy, Sitara Reganti, David Rodriguez, Sarah Russell, Jessica Santina, Jason Sarna, Max Stone, Delaney Uronen, Robert Victor, Matt Westfield, Leah Wigren, Susan Winters
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GUEST COMMENT
BY TRACEY OLIVER
As arts funding is slashed without rationale, Nevada
legislators know it’s worth defending
Nevada artists and arts nonprofits are tired, but not because we’ve run out of ideas or energy or passion. We’re tired because we are constantly asked to prove our worth in economic terms, spreadsheets and graphs—a language different from the elemental value we know the arts to propel—and despite our consistent illustration in this second language, we have watched creativity pushed to the margins, because it’s easy to chop.
As national axes swing on lightning-fast pendulums, amid the concern, there is a spot of hope.
Nevada’s Legislature is considering AB 219, a proposal that would allocate just 1% of the state’s existing live-entertain ment tax revenue to the Nevada Arts Council. (As this goes to print, we await its fate). It’s a modest ask with the potential to make a monumental difference.
The Sierra Arts Foundation team watched with concern as some public voices responded with applause to the recent defunding of Nevada Humanities, one of the state’s vital conduits for community, memory and meaning. We wait with bated breath to understand the continuing impacts of the National Endowment for the Arts’ new reality, now that the agency has canceled many grants, and all 10 of its grant administrators quit.
that arts engagement is linked to better mental health, lower social isolation, and increased civic participation. These are just two of hundreds of studies affirming what artists and audiences already know.
And yet, we ask: Independent of the wealth of data and evidence, can we truly prove art’s import with statistics or graphs? Sierra Arts Foundation will continue to rise to the challenge to illustrate its value, and we will do so alongside thousands of organizations across the country who proffer this intelligence upward and outward. We will fight the once-again-rising tide of devaluation across the country, but we are weary. We need help.
Our state leadership has worked diligently to invest in arts and culture, a key economic driver and a factor for improved quality of life. And while we are deeply grateful for the generosity of private donors and philanthropic foundations who sustain so much of Nevada’s cultural life, the reality is that the arts benefit every corner of our society. Why shouldn’t national funds be used to uphold something that uplifts us all?
How quick we are to forget: Art was there for all of us during the pandemic. Art continues to show up in our classrooms, senior centers, hospitals, main streets and gathering places.
STREETALK
Are you thriving or just surviving?
Asked at Saint Lawrence Commons, at the corner of Saint Lawrence Avenue and Virginia Street, Reno
Zack Rybak Social worker
To those applauding the loss of arts funding, we ask: Could you explain that joy to a student who finds their voice in a poetry program? To a veteran processing trauma through journaling? To a disabled community member who feels less alone through creative expression?
We recognize public funding comes with scrutiny, and rightly so. Re-elevation is an ongoing process. But what’s particularly disheartening about this moment in history is that this funding has been slashed without a clear rationale. The swift act itself sends a message that the arts carry no public value. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Art is not a bonus feature of society. It’s the story we tell about who we are. It’s education, economic development, tourism and healing. It saves lives, lifts neighborhoods and builds bridges where language and politics fall short.
A 2019 study conducted by the George Mason University Arts Research Center found that integrating the arts into classrooms improves student comprehension and test scores across subjects, particularly for struggling learners. A survey from the National Endowment for the Arts found
To those legislators who have stepped up in support: Thank you. Nevada’s arts administrators are grateful you recognize cultural infrastructure is every bit as vital as roads, water systems and schools.
To the donors and patrons who keep the arts alive: Your investment reverberates further than you may ever see. To the artists: Your work— often created in the margins, often underfunded, often uncredited—continues to shape the emotional and civic landscape of our communities. Your courage to keep creating despite the odds is revolutionary.
AB 219 is not just a funding mechanism. It’s an affirmation of belief in the power of expression, imagination and culture. While this bill will not completely wipe away our fatigue, it does interject some much-needed optimism into our ranks. It can be a beacon of funding success that could benefit similar states trudging tiredly, though doggedly, uphill.
Join us. Applaud your legislators for their belief in the arts to contribute to the power of expression, imagination and culture by becoming a patron (or increasing your support) yourself.
BY DAVID ROBERT
Due to the nature of my work, I’m mostly just surviving. I cope with it by having a wonderful dog and a wonderful wife. I’ve been trying to read more books and novels, and write more. One night a week, I play intramural volleyball. It’s something that I look forward to. I get to socialize and get my mind off my work.
Alyssa Nishihira Physician assistant
Thriving. When I compare to where I was personally last year, I’m in a better place in all aspects of my life—like, professionally and businesswise. I do think that things can always be better, But I’m content where I’m at. I just moved into a new condo and have a new job and have started a business.
Ryan Cosner
Mechanical engineering graduate student
Just surviving. Early this year, I was hit by the wildfires, and my garage burned down with my treasured car in it. It was a 1980 Mazda RX-7. My dad and I restored it; I loved that car. Due to the damage to the property, I had to move into the very noisy dorms, and I had to get acquainted with new people. This is my final year in school, and I really didn’t need all this.
Mike Grant
Business owner
As a business owner, it’s a little of both. But right now, I’m thriving due to the community that supports our business. In the winter, it’s about half and half—half thriving and half surviving. Customers are out and about now that summertime is here with the nice weather. I’m a local; I grew up here and have a lot of contacts in the community, and we give back to the community.
Alora Gearhart
Political science student
At this point, I would say thriving—but in a nonconventional way. Looking at the future has always been a struggle for me. In today’s climate, it makes it even more difficult for me to look at the future. But it makes me hone in on focusing on what I can do, to do what’s best for myself right now in the present.
Tracey Oliver is the executive director of the Sierra Arts Foundation.
A NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER
| BY JIMMY BOEGLE
We collectively must drop the vitriol—and strive for civility and understanding
At 3:56 p.m. on May 10, Jean called the Reno News & Review. It was a Saturday, and I didn’t answer, so Jean left a message—because she had some things to say.
“I am disgusted in RN&R,” she said, starting off a message that would go on for two minutes, 11 seconds; what follows are her verbatim words. “That’s absolutely despicable that everything in your paper—I couldn’t even read but a few editions, because it is so woke, so Marxist, so awful. Nevada—I’ve been here since ’69, and Nevada was a wonderful state then, where we had honest editorialism, honest people, not all of this crap that’s going on throughout the state of Nevada, the state of New York, the state of Washington, the state of Oregon, and on and on, of these horrible blue state countries— uh, blue states, that are turning our country into a horrible situation, if they can.”
At this point, Jean’s voice was rising. She was wound. She was pissed.
“Trump is the only one, the ONLY one, that has been able to get our country on the right track. You had a demented old man, demented old man, and the Democrat, Marxist, communist, socialist regime are the ones that are trying to destroy our country
with the help of Soros, with all the money that he’s buying people, like the judges, etcetera. This is absolutely disgusting, and I cannot believe—I can’t even look at your paper, it is so despicable. You are only one-sided. You don’t even try to find out what the truth is. All you want to do is try to continue with a newspaper that’s for Marxists, socialists, communists and Demo-rats. This is Jean (last name redacted)! Our libraries are terrible, because we have people that are destroying our children by trying to put transgender and gaytype books in our library. Shame on you! SHAME ON YOU!”
On Monday, I called her back. I didn’t want to call her back, because I didn’t think it would go well, but I felt the need to try to have a conversation, one American voter talking to another. I wanted to understand where she was coming from, even if I didn’t agree with it.
One of the reasons I’m pretty pessimistic about the future of the U.S. is that there are a lot of people like Jean, who no longer view people on the other side of the political aisle as fellow Americans with whom they simply disagree. They view them as enemies, as rotten, as sick, as Marxists, as “Demo-rats.” And this tone starts at the top.
This, verbatim, is what the president of the United States posted on Truth Social, to start Memorial Day:
She answered after the first ring. I told her who I was, and that I was returning her call. According to my call log, we spoke for about 2 1/2 minutes. Readers, I truly tried to engage her in a civil, honest conversation—but all she wanted to do was spew vitriol.
“HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY TO ALL, INCLUDING THE SCUM THAT SPENT THE LAST FOUR YEARS TRYING TO DESTROY OUR COUNTRY THROUGH WARPED RADICAL LEFT MINDS, WHO ALLOWED 21,000,000 MILLION PEOPLE TO ILLEGALLY ENTER OUR COUNTRY, MANY OF THEM BEING CRIMINALS AND THE MENTALLY INSANE,THROUGH AN OPEN BORDER THAT ONLY AN INCOMPETENT PRESIDENT WOULD APPROVE, AND THROUGH JUDGES WHO ARE ON A MISSION TO KEEP MURDERERS, DRUG DEALERS, RAPISTS, GANG MEMBERS, AND RELEASED PRISONERS FROM ALL
OVER THE WORLD, IN OUR COUNTRY SO THEY CAN ROB, MURDER, AND RAPE AGAIN — ALL PROTECTED BY THESE USA HATING JUDGES WHO SUFFER FROM AN IDEOLOGY THAT IS SICK, AND VERY DANGEROUS FOR OUR COUNTRY. HOPEFULLY THE UNITED STATES SUPREME COURT, AND OTHER GOOD AND COMPASSIONATE JUDGES THROUGHOUT THE LAND, WILL SAVE US FROM THE DECISIONS OF THE MONSTERS WHO WANT OUR COUNTRY TO GO TO HELL. BUT FEAR NOT, WE HAVE MADE GREAT PROGRESS OVER THE LAST 4 MONTHS, AND AMERICA WILL SOON BE SAFE AND GREAT AGAIN! AGAIN, HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY, AND GOD BLESS AMERICA!”
This is horrifying and terrifying. (An aside: Did you notice that in the post, President Trump didn’t mention fallen veterans, or even the military? How is this OK?)
No matter where we fall on today’s rather warped political spectrum, we need to look at our fellow Americans with humanity, and not as enemies, or as un-American, or as evil—or as scum with warped, radical minds, who are trying to ruin our country.
ON NEVADA BUSINESS
Transcontinental tech
Meet the 10 innovative Polish companies that want to plant
As the business world adjusts to the fits and starts of the new world of tariffs, we are ever-optimistic that the whiplash will subside in the near future so we can get back to planning and forecasting. It is extremely difficult to gauge the business climate in late 2025 and 2026 until we limit the volatility of the markets.
From a business standpoint, the U.S. market is still the place for any business in the world wanting to ply their wares. As I stated last month, it’s a tough time to do business in the European Union, but let’s face it: It’s becoming tough to do biz here! Still, the U.S. market remains the holy grail for business growth. Many economists and business leaders still agree that the U.S. market will remain the best growth market for most products and services for many years to come.
While in Europe in March and April, we vetted and selected the candidates for the NCBR-NAP (Nevada Accelerator Program) coming to Nevada for the third year in a row, and fifth year overall. They applied from all over Poland to be a part of the intensive online workshop series in February and March. Following the live pitch in April in Warsaw, the top 10 companies will come to Nevada June 2-8 for a trade mission to expand, hiring Nevadans for high-paying jobs and creating the new, diverse economy Nevada needs to offset economic downturns.
These companies represent diverse enterprises, from corporate-risk mitigation to a snake-bite antidote to new hope for tracheotomy patients. They were chosen from 30 applicants from all over Poland. Some are pre-revenue, while others are already earning millions. The common theme is that they all want to be successful in the most lucrative market in the world—and they want to do it from Nevada, not California or Texas. We have all of the best attributes for growing a business, with few detriments like corporate taxes, personal taxes or inventory taxes.
The companies will be with us in Las Vegas on June 4-5, and then in Reno June 6-8. We end their trade mission in the San Francisco Bay Area June 9-10 to show just how hard and expensive it is to do business there.
Here, in alphabetical order, are the 10 companies coming to Nevada to find partners, distributors, customers and investors.
Discover AI Technologies: An advanced battery-management system that enables precise monitoring and prediction of battery parameters for safety and security.
EcoBean: Innovative products such as coffee oil, antioxidants, protein additives and
roots in Nevada
lignin, produced thanks to a patented technology for processing coffee grounds, which reduces industrial waste.
EasyOZE: A B2B sales platform for renewable-energy installers incorporating GPS, rooftop square footage, building needs and onsite proposal generation for homeowners and building managers.
Owl Sentry: A professional pest-monitoring system that saves time and money by alerting the pest company that the trap has a pest, and maintains trap monitoring.
Pikralida: Research of and development on innovative medical products based on the use of an active inhibitor of enzymes from the metalloproteinase group, to be used mainly against poisonous snake bites. One pill can neutralize snake venom in pets and people.
SP Tech: A railway tech company that manages scheduling, logistics, operations and efficiencies in railway operations. SP Tech is a major vendor in Europe and looking to expand into the U.S., as our railways are in need of updated tech.
TrashStock: A planned internet platform supporting the construction of a circular economy by creating a network of connections between all market participants, enabling management of the flow of secondary raw materials and waste in the economy, and tracking products’ lifecycles.
Ulan Software: A micro-app-builder for the hotel, resort, casino and entertainment sectors helping to maximize their operations, including real-time room availability, etc.
Uhuru Bionics: Technologically advanced solutions for people with atypical speech, including VoxFlow, a real-time voice amplification and conversion system, designed for users with neurological, oncological or age-related communication difficulties. This device allows the user’s voice to be transformed, making it more intelligible and natural.
Vercly: A third-party risk management app, background checks, vendor risk, ongoing monitoring of suppliers and automatization of all automatable manual solutions for stakeholder risk management.
These quality companies want to incorporate in Nevada, and hire Nevadans into good jobs and ground-floor opportunities, adding to the diversification of our economy and providing our students and alumni with high-level opportunities—to help our economy mitigate the next economic crisis.
I am always amazed by the tech and the founders coming from our European companies. They are innovative, hungry, focused and tenacious. My team and I are honored to be
bringing them to the U.S. in conjunction with our partners at NCBR (The National Centre for Research and Development), with 40 different companies hosted and 120 mentored since 2022. NCBR structured this program after then-Gov. Brian Sandoval opened the door with Polish President Andrzej Duda in a historic set of trade missions beginning in 2017. I was honored to be a part of the second edition. After that, I led five University of Nevada startups to Poland for a trade mission.
We have had many trade missions with Poland since then, with many tech companies visiting, and some opening offices and relocating to Nevada, including a med-tech company I mentored back in 2019 that is now headquar-
in Southern Nevada.
Do you have any idea who the largest employer is in eastern White Pine County? It’s KGHM, a Polish mining company that owns the Robinson Mine and employs more than 600 workers.
Nevada has a long and formidable relationship with the government and people of Poland, and I am proud to continue carrying the flag that began with a governor who wanted to put Nevada on the world stage. That legacy continues today, and will continue for many years to come. It’s very cool.
If you’re interested in meeting the companies on June 6, drop me an email at mwestfield@ unr.edu.
tered
UPFRONT
Northern Nevada HOPES to launch program for pregnant women who use substances
Northern Nevada HOPES, a community health center serving Reno-Sparks, has announced plans to launch a comprehensive maternal health program in July for pregnant women who engage in substance use. The initiative is funded by a $708,092 donation from UnitedHealthcare Health Plan of Nevada Medicaid.
“Currently, in most of Nevada, when you have a woman who is pregnant, and they have an opioid use disorder, they have to navigate multiple appointments to multiple offices for their care,” said Teresita Espana, prenatal care program coordinator at HOPES. She said the program will function as a “medical home,” eliminating the need for patients to travel to multiple locations for different services such as prenatal care, postpartum support, behavioral health services and pediatric care. The program will also emphasize community building through cohort-based appointments, where patients meet with peers who are in similar stages of pregnancy.
Espana noted that the stress and responsibility of new motherhood can increase the relapse risk. A National Library of Medicine article says this is due to multiple factors, including sleep deprivation, postpartum depression and anxiety, and lack of social support.
“People who experience addiction need fewer barriers and more social support,” said Dr. Chelsea Travers, a doctor from HOPES, via email. “By providing compassionate, evidence-based care, we help ensure that our patients begin their parenting journey with stability, dignity and the support they deserve.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate among high-income nations. The new program aims to address this by providing access to care for preventable conditions like gestational diabetes, preterm labor and preeclampsia (a pregnancy complication characterized by high blood pressure).
To learn more or become a patient, call 775-786-4673 or visit nnhopes.org.
—Jason
Sarna
NEWS
Keeping churches and schools safe for all
Nevada’s ACLU director talks about AJR 9, which opposes ICE actions in education and religious facilities
On May 22, the Nevada Legislature approved a resolution making Nevada the first state in the United States to urge Congress to protect places of worship and schools from immigration-enforcement actions.
The measure is Assembly Joint Resolution 9, and it was drafted by the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada.
“We had seen and heard from community members who were expressing grave concern about what they were seeing happen in other communities,” said Athar
very different lenses.
| BY KRIS VAGNER
According to the Department of Homeland Security, “This action empowers the brave men and women in CBP (Customs and Border Protection) and ICE to enforce our immigration laws and catch criminal aliens— including murders and rapists—who have illegally come into our country. Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest.”
According to the National Immigration Law Center, “The rescission is especially pernicious in its attempt to make immigrants feel unsafe even in spaces that are the core of a civil society.”
Federal efforts
While Nevada is the first state to pass a resolution opposing the Trump administration’s decision, there have been efforts on the federal level to attempt to reverse it.
In February, 22 members of Congress, including Nevada Sens. Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto, introduced the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act—which would limit immigration-enforcement actions at churches, schools and hospitals. The bill was reviewed in short order and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, but as of press time, no further action had been taken—and given that Republicans control the U.S. Senate, further action is unlikely.
Also in February, more than two dozen Christian and Jewish groups filed a federal lawsuit challenging the rescission, alleging that drops in attendance due to fears of arrest would cause these groups harm. In April, a federal court in Washington, D.C., rejected the churches’ argument, ruling that the harm they alleged could not be remedied by reinstating the Biden-era protections.
Possible ripple effects
Haseebullah has a list of concerns about possible ripple effects that immigration enforcement actions in schools or places of worship could have on Nevada communities.
Haseebullah, the group’s director, in a phone interview.
He said educators and faith leaders expressed fears to him about the potential for ICE actions. “People have been afraid to come to church, and they’ve seen their congregation numbers drop pretty significantly,” he added.
In January, the Trump administration rescinded Biden-era guidelines that prohibited arrests of immigrants at “sensitive locations” such as churches and schools. The Trump administration and a major immigrationadvocacy group saw this rescission through
“It’s not only destabilizing for the person who’s … targeted by ICE; it’s a traumatic experience for everybody who’s in the surrounding area, who has to witness it as well,” he said.
He worries about increased absenteeism in schools if families become worried about ICE activity on campuses, and he noted that absenteeism could potentially cause schools’ ratings to drop.
Haseebullah also cited the potential economic impacts of widespread deportations, noting, “Undocumented people in Nevada paid an estimated $507 million in state and local taxes in 2022, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. That’s money that can’t be supplanted if the Trump administration had
its way, and everybody who was undocumented was no longer in the state.”
Yet another concern: Widespread deportations could negatively affect Nevada’s largest industry, tourism.
“Until we really get a handle on making sure that ICE does not appear to be kidnapping people off the streets, including the streets of Nevada, I don’t see how our tourism sector is going to end up turning around,” he said, referring to a recent dip in Las Vegas tourism. In March, tourism there was down 7.8% from 2024, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority—a figure that some experts have attributed to Trump administration policies.
“If you are a tourist in a foreign country who wants to come to Nevada to spend your money, and you turn on the news, and you see
masked ICE officers grabbing people off the streets who were here on lawful student visas or other visas, and then you have the option to instead go to a place like Dubai or to Macau or to the Bahamas, I don’t know that Las Vegas is going end up being your top choice—or that Reno would end up being your top choice, or anywhere in the United States would end up being your top choice,” Haseebullah said.
What is the resolution likely to achieve?
A “joint resolution” is one that both the state Senate and Assembly approved. After being passed by the Assembly with a 27-15 vote, JRS 9 was approved in the Senate in a 14-7 vote, with Sen. Lori Rogich of Las Vegas the only Republican to vote in favor, along with all
Democrats.
Such resolutions do not have the force of law.
“Because immigration enforcement really lies in the federal government’s hands, the state Legislature isn’t capable of addressing where and how enforcement can actually occur, in a really clean fashion,” Haseebullah said. “So this resolution came forward specifically to address and urge Congress to at least protect these locations. … We’re hoping that this can trickle over, and if there’s nationwide momentum, at a minimum, we can help to reverse this change in policy that the administration engaged in with respect to sensitive locations.”
Next steps
Haseebullah hopes that more churches and other organizations concerned about
High schoolers observe AI as a blessing and a curse
Artificial intelligence expert Rex Briggs spoke to around 400 students from Northern Nevada high schools about misinformation and deep fakes at the University of Nevada, Reno, on May 20, as part of the annual Youth Security Forum event, “Telling Truth From Lies.”
Richard Clark, a social studies and history teacher at Reno High School, said that when his students debriefed after the event, they noted an intriguing paradox. Clark put it this way: “To help track down AI-created disinformation or falsehoods, AI is a tool to be used.
“I think the irony of that really stuck with them,” he added. “It feels like a Catch-22, that we’re damned if we do, and we’re damned if we don’t when it comes to AI, because it’s a great tool—but it’s also something that can be used in dangerous ways.”
—Kris Vagner
Photo by David Robert
immigration-enforcement actions will connect with the ACLU to share their concerns. But he understands why they may not.
“I think the hard part is for them to come forward,” he said. “I have also offered to sue on their behalf based on their reduced numbers. … But what I’ve heard from faith leaders … they’re terribly afraid of the federal government. They don’t want to ruffle feathers.”
He also hopes that, after SJR 9, other states follow suit.
“What we’re trying to do is use this as part of a strategy that we’re able to share with our counterparts to have them do the same, with respect to their state legislatures,” he said. “It remains confusing to me why anyone would want to not protect our schools and our houses of worship.”
For land’s sake
The Death Valley billboards that appeared in Reno are part of a labor advocacy group’s efforts to rally opposition to DOGE cuts
In May, billboards appeared in Reno depicting Death Valley National Park. Their purpose was not to encourage visitation to the park, however. Over a stunning photo of mountains and desert expanse, the text reads: “Heat Deaths Rise, Safety Staff Cut; Made possible by DOGE.”
The goal was to encourage public interest in fighting back against the recent Department of Government Efficiency cuts across national parks.
These billboards—and others across the country depicting national parks—were funded by More Perfect Union, a nonprofit advocacy journalism organization that aims to “build power for the working class.” The organization normally focuses on worker exploitation and corporate accountability. Founder and executive director Faiz Shakir
believes that limited access to public land is a threat to providing equal access to public goods.
“That concept of being for all is what we’re trying to defend—that if you start to find that public goods are being attacked or diminished or disrespected, it hurts working-class people the most,” he said in a phone interview. “The wealthy are always going to have great options at their disposal.”
Shakir predicted that layoffs at national parks could lead to a push to privatize the national parks, bolstering the claim in some circles that the government cannot manage these places properly.
“Right now, (national parks) are a public good,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a millionaire or a billionaire or a person making $20,000 on Social Security. You generally can
have the same experience at a national park as anyone else—unless and until we start to privatize it, and they start putting pricing in there, and they start saying, ‘These are certain tiers and benefits for the wealthy, and here’s the rest of us who got cut out.’ That’s what I view as the great long-term plan of a lot of these rightwing architects of DOGE.”
(This sounds eerily familiar to the ethos of the satirical parks director Ron Swanson from the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation, who once said: “My dream is to have the parks system privatized and run entirely for profit by corporations. Like Chuck E. Cheese. Everything operated by tokens. Drop in a token; go on a swing set. Drop in another token; take a walk. Drop in a token; look at a duck.”)
The public-lands privatization topic kept my inbox pinging with emails in May. On May 7,
| BY HELENA GUGLIELMINO
This billboard was paid for by More Perfect Union, a nonprofit advocacy journalism organization that aims to “build power for the working class.”
the House Natural Resources Committee passed an amendment authorizing the sale of about 460,000 acres of public lands in Nevada and Utah, including 15,860 acres in Washoe County. There was no local notice, environmental review or public comment prior to passing.
Rep. Mark Amodei said in a statement on his website that the sale would be “delivering on the administration’s commitment to curb reckless spending, steward taxpayer dollars responsibly, and identify smart investments.”
Shakir, obviously, does not agree.
“I believe there’s an opportunity to raise awareness and to change course on this before it’s too late … that we could actually stop the massive budget cuts,” said Shakir, citing (at least temporary) reversals of initiatives to freeze Meals on Wheels and Head Start spending.
After much public opposition to the amendment, the House removed it from the budget.
The views from national-park gateway towns
Shakir fears that staffing cuts will mean that national parks will have to limit the amenities and resources they normally offer, such as campground availability, tours and search-andrescue teams.
A representative from Death Valley National Park said the only park facilities currently closed are due to flood damage. The representative did not comment on whether the park is understaffed or experiencing layoffs. They did urge visitors to check the park’s website for closures and updates before traveling.
Maria Gema Garcia Diaz, owner of Gema’s Cafe in Beatty—a gateway town for the park— said business has seemed slower this year than in previous years.
“There are probably half of the customers (this spring),” Garcia Diaz said. “It’s been slow.”
Liz Woolsey is owner of the Stargazer Inn in Baker, near Great Basin National Park. She’s having a different experience, and is optimistic about the summer season.
“I think people are really supportive of national parks, given all the administrative goings-on. That may be why they’re visiting now,” she said. “I have a hotel with seven rooms, and reservations are through the roof this year, all the way through October.”
If you would like to join the opposition to cuts to public lands, contact Nevada’s senators, Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto, as well as Rep. Mark Amodei. A simple email with the headline “Protect Nevada’s Public Lands” can go a long way.
Planets and Bright Stars in Evening Mid-Twilight
For June, 2025
This sky chart is drawn for latitude 40 degrees north, but may be used in continental U.S. and southern Canada.
June’s evening sky chart.
Illustration/Robert D. Miller
southwest; the Summer Triangle of Vega, Deneb and Altair overhead; Fomalhaut, Mouth of the Southern Fish, in the southeast quadrant; Capella, rising in the far north-northeast to northeast; and finally, Aldebaran, eye of Taurus, rising in the east-northeast twilight before month’s end. Whenever the Summer Triangle is visible in a dark sky, look for the Milky Way’s Cygnus Star Cloud within it, along the neck of the Swan. It consists of stars in our own spiral arm of our galaxy, so binoculars can easily resolve it into stars. If you look two hours before sunrise, the best dates are June 1-6 and June 23-July 7.
Moon and planetary events: Many of the following events are illustrated on the Sky Calendar. Subscriptions are available at www.abramsplanetarium.org/skycalendar; for $12 per year, subscribers receive quarterly mailings.
Sunday, June 1 at dusk: The star Regulus, marking the heart of Leo, the Lion, appears about 1° to the lower left of the fat, 40 percent crescent moon, one day before first quarter phase. Tonight, Mars appears 8°-9° to the lower right of the moon and Regulus.
June 2 at dawn: Saturn, magnitude +1.1, appears 26° to the upper right of Venus, the brilliant morning “star” of magnitude -4.4 in the east. Just before twilight begins, use a telescope or large binoculars to detect faint Neptune, 1.5° to the upper left of Saturn.
June skies
The month brings the shortest nights of the year—with so much to see!
As June begins, bright Jupiter is very low in the west-northwest twilight, and Mars is far to its upper left; they’re the only evening planets. Begin following Jupiter while it’s easy to see at the start of the month, and let the departing giant be your guide to emerging Mercury for a few evenings around June 7. A few days later, Jupiter disappears, and Mercury replaces it.
Bright stars at dusk include the Arch of Spring: Procyon is low in the west, with Pollux-Castor 4.5° apart at the apex, and Capella low in the northwest. Jupiter is below the arch, while Mars and Regulus appear to the arch’s upper left. Other bright stars at dusk are golden Arcturus and blue Spica crossing the southern sky, and blue-white Vega, with Deneb in the northeast quadrant. Later in evening, or in twilight later in June, watch for Altair rising to complete the
Summer Triangle with Vega-Deneb. Red supergiant Antares, having just passed opposition on May 30, begins June low in the southeast at dusk. The morning twilight scene is dominated by Venus, low in the east. Reaching a maximum angular separation from the sun (greatest elongation) of 46° on June 1, Venus, as seen through a telescope, reveals a “half-moon” phase, 24” (arcseconds) across. By month’s end, Venus fills out to 63 percent full, but shrinks to 18” across. Far to Venus’ upper right, Saturn will lie directly ahead of Spaceship Earth on June 22. This month, we’ll move 44 million miles closer. Saturn’s rings are inclined only 3.1° to 3.6° from edge-on during June, while the sun illuminates them only dimly from an angle only 0.4° to 0.8° off their plane. Under these conditions, the rings appear as a dim, narrow line crossing the planet. Bright stars visible at dawn include Arcturus and Antares, about to set in west-northwest and
June 5, early dusk: You’ll need binoculars, very clear skies and an unobstructed view of the horizon to see Mercury (magnitude -1.5) in bright twilight 30 minutes after sunset, just more than 5° to the lower right of Jupiter (magnitude -1.9). Watch for changes, as Jupiter appears lower each night, with Mercury higher. As the sky darkens tonight, look for Spica, the spike of grain in the hand of Virgo, 5° to the lower left of the 77% waxing gibbous moon. Tomorrow, Mercury will appear 3.6° to the lower right of Jupiter, and Spica will appear 7° to the upper right of an 85% moon.
June 7, 30 minutes after sunset: Mercury (magnitude -1.2) has now climbed slightly higher than Jupiter, 2.3° to its right. June 8, 30 minutes after sunset: The largest and smallest planets of our solar system appear closest tonight, with Mercury (magnitude -1.1) 2.1° to the upper right of brighter Jupiter (magnitude -1.9).
June 9, 30 minutes after sunset: Can you still see Jupiter? It’s almost gone, 3.1° below Mercury. Jupiter will be in solar conjunction on far side of the sun on June 24, while Mercury climbs higher in the west-northwest twilight glow until June 25 as seen from Reno.
In the evening sky June 9-24, Mars and Regulus will appear closer together than Pollux and Castor, the “Twin” stars of Gemini. The Mars-Regulus pairing will be most striking when closest, within 0.8° apart on June 16 and 17.
June 10, at dusk: Find Antares 9° to the upper
| BY ROBERT VICTOR
right of the moon, which will be full overnight, at 12:44 a.m. early Wednesday morning, June 11.
The nights of June 10-11 and June 11-12 present the southernmost full moon of this year; and the southernmost moonset. After the full moon, moonrise occurs later each night, and the waning moon is conveniently observed daily before dawn.
By mid-June, Jupiter is lost in the glare of evening twilight, and Mercury and Mars are the only planets still visible at dusk. Both offer striking displays. Mercury, below the “Twin” stars Pollux and Castor, forms a nearly isosceles triangle with them for two evenings: On June 15, Mercury is about 10 3/4° from each, and on the next evening, about 9 1/3° from each.
Let’s shift back nearly a week to the morning of June 18 to check on the waning moon in the predawn sky. On the 18th, 1 1/4 hours before sunrise, the 54% moon is high in the southeast, 8° to the upper right of Saturn. The next morning, find the 43% fat crescent within 7° to the lower left of Saturn. On Friday, June 20, the 31% moon has gone nearly halfway across the 43° gap from Saturn toward Venus. Summer begins later that day, at 7:42 p.m.
On June 22, the 12% crescent moon appears within 8° to the upper left of Venus. Using binoculars, can you spot the Pleiades cluster, 9° to the moon’s lower left? Any day now, watch for the rising of Aldebaran, eye or Taurus, nearly 14° below this “Seven Sisters” star cluster. On June 23, the 6% crescent moon is 19° to the lower left of Venus, and 6° to the lower left of the Pleiades. One last chance to see the waning moon occurs on June 24. The best time to see it might be a little less than an hour before sunrise, when the hairline one-percent crescent will appear just above the northeast to east-northeast horizon, 33° to the lower left of Venus. After the new moon, the first chance to see the young crescent will occur in early dusk on June 25. You’ll need binoculars, a near-perfect sky, and an unobstructed view of the horizon 30° to 33° north of due west. In June’s five remaining evenings, watch the waxing crescent moon skate past two planets and three bright zodiacal stars. On June 26, about an hour after sunset, find Mercury 3° to the left of the 4% crescent moon, and Pollux and Castor within 6° and 10° to the moon’s right. On June 27, the 10% moon appears 10° to Mercury’s upper left. Regulus and Mars, 6° apart, await 18° and 24° to the moon’s upper left.
On June 28, Regulus lies 5° to the upper left of the 17% crescent, while Mars lies another 6.6° to the upper left of Regulus. On June 30, the moon, 34% full in the west-southwest, aligns with Mars, Regulus and Mercury, 13°, 21° and 46° to its west (lower right), respectively.
Robert Victor originated the Abrams Planetarium monthly Sky Calendar in October 1968 and still helps to produce an occasional issue.
Stereographic Projection
Map by Robert D. Miller
mid-twilight occurs when the Sun is 9° below the horizon.
Mmm, summertime in Reno.
The days are long; the high-desert nights are often perfect; and the vibe is all-out fun.
Summer here is when the people who make up our region’s eclectic local culture pull out all the stops. From late May to September, you’ll find all types of things to do, indoors and out, in Reno, Sparks, Carson City, Minden, Gardnerville and the Lake Tahoe area.
Kelley Lang’s epic events guide details three-plus months of festivals, concerts and other gatherings that celebrate the things you love the most. Whether you fancy bluegrass, or beer, or barbecue—or pretty much anything else you can think of—there’s an event for you this summer. Many are family-friendly, and a whole lot of them are free.
Bob Grimm’s big compendium of summer movie recs is always a fun read, and it’ll help you fill those too-hot afternoons in air-conditioned comfort. Jessica Santina’s theater guide tells you everything you need to know about what’s on local stages this season. Matt Bieker’s explainer clears up two burning questions: What the heck is up with Tahoe traffic, and will it ever improve? And I spoke with some travel experts who know about some very cool day trips— and were willing to share their secrets. Enjoy!
—Kris Vagner
I once heard
it said, “Summer
is the time when one sheds one’s tensions with one’s clothes.”
This has become a mantra for me, a reminder that it’s time to let go—of fussy dinners, overscheduled weekdays and getting all your chores done. Summer’s the time for having fun.
Local theater companies evidently got that memo. From youthful fantasies under the stars to puppetry, carnival rides, roller skates, upbeat dance revues and more, there’s plenty of summer revelry to be had on local stages this summer.
RENO
Ageless Repertory Theatre
ART is a readers’ theater troupe: Actors Ageless Repertory Theatre
ART is celebrating 22 years of bringing readers’ theater to Reno, and 11 years of performing at Reno Little Theater. With free (donations encouraged) performances, typically on a Tuesday and Friday afternoon each month, ART’s shows are a good excuse to sneak away on a summer’s afternoon.
On June 10 and 13, check out Norman, Is That You? about a Jewish couple coming to terms with their son’s homosexuality.
Then, don’t miss Neil Simon’s California Suite, composed of four miniplays about travelers who, at separate times, occupy a single hotel suite in Los Angeles. It runs Tuesday, July 1, and Thursday, July 3, with a bonus Artown evening performance on Wednesday, July 2, at 7 p.m.
www.renolittletheater.org/art-at-rlt
Brüka Theatre
So, some teenagers die on a rollercoaster and go to purgatory. … It’s not the setup for a joke, but it is the premise of Brüka’s summer production, Ride the Cyclone, running June 27-July 19. In this musical comedy, the teens (one of whom is headless) are Canadian choir members who compete in purgatorial carnival games for another chance at life.
Brüka will keep that carnival theme alive for Carnivalia, its annual Summer Youth Intensive, July 14-26. Kids will write, produce and perform their own play.
www.bruka.org
Firebird Light Opera
This young upstart—started to reintroduce opera to locals in a fun, approachable, affordable way—will present Firebird Follies Saturday and Sunday, July 26 and 27. This revue-style showcase at the National Automobile Museum will feature an array of musical pieces, from pops to jazz, Broadway and opera.
artown.org
Goodluck Macbeth
Missing your wingman? Feeling the need for speed? The only thing better than a summer blockbuster is an original summer parody of one. Catch GLM’s Bottom Gun, June 27-July 26. Get ready for plenty of awkward physical comedy, bad impressions and a planeload of queer love.
www.goodluckmacbeth.org
Latino Arte and Culture
In their quest to share Latino culture with a broader, more diverse audience, founders Annamaria Cavallone and Mario DelaRosa present another original bilingual play, Frida Kahlo and Her Friends, about the unlikely and complicated relationship between artist Frida Kahlo and her husband, Diego Rivera, as well as her life and development as an artist. The show, for both English and Spanish audiences, runs June 5-8 at Reno Little Theater.
latinoarte.org
Reno Little Theater
It’s the summer of original theater, including The 24-Hour Plays: Reno. As if creating a play from scratch weren’t challenging enough, this event asks people to do it all in 24 hours.
Writers, directors and actors who have signed on to participate will convene on Friday, June 13; divide into four teams; create plays incorporating two prompts (a prop and a line); and present it on Saturday the 14th. Then comes Xanadu, in all its skates-andsequins glory, July 11-Aug. 10. Based on the 1980 cult classic film, it’s the story of Kira, a Greek muse, who agrees to help a struggling artist establish a roller disco. Yep, you’ll see dancing and skating!
Finally, improv troupe Crocodile Nixon will perform one Tuesday evening each month. Watch the website for details. renolittletheater.org
Sierra Nevada Ballet
SNC kicks this summer off with a grand performance event on Sunday, June 1, inside the new Northern Nevada Performing Arts Collective space on Moana Lane. Glimpse the new building for this free event (RSVPs required).
On Saturday, July 5, enjoy another free event, Dancing at Bartley, at Hawkins Amphitheater at Bartley Ranch, which will feature song and dance numbers, including tap superstar Sam Weber, singer Cami Thompson, and the SNB dancers.
SNB will once again be part of the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival’s Showcase Series. To complement LTSF’s Twelfth Night (more on that later), SNB will present 12th Night—A Ballet Noir at the LTSF at Sand Harbor on Monday, July 28, with additional performances at the Pioneer Center on Saturday, July 26, and the Carson City Community Center on Saturday, Aug. 2. This ballet version of the Shakespearean comedy will have a film-noir twist. sierranevadaballet.org
Sierra School of Performing Arts
Speaking of the Hawkins Amphitheater, SSPA will present another Broadway musical at the outdoor venue, Aug. 8-23: Mel Brooks’ The
Producers, about a con man and a timid accountant who cook up a get-rich-quick scheme to put on a show that will flop. www.sierraschoolofperformingarts.org
TheatreWorks of Northern Nevada Cuteness alert: TWNN, Reno’s teaching theater, will present Madagascar: A Musical Adventure JR. This abridged version of the Broadway musical (and DreamWorks animated film) follows a lion, a hippo, a zebra and a giraffe as they escape their zoo home to see the big wide world and encounter misadventures. It runs the final three weekends of July. twnn.org
SPARKS
Restless Artists Theatre
The folks at RAT present Shamé (sha-MAY), a magician who also doubles as Tozy the Clown. From July 9-13, Shamé/Tozy will perform magic and lead clowning workshops. It all builds to the final day’s showcase of performances from participants. Then look for Gruesome Playground
Injuries, Aug. 22-Sept. 8. This two-person comedy is about two “scar-crossed” lovers who meet in elementary school at the nurse’s office, and then repeatedly come together over 30 years thanks to injuries and other disasters. rattheatre.com
CARSON CITY/ CARSON VALLEY
Carson Valley Community Theatre
CVCT has launched a regular improv workshop for locals of all experience levels, led by local actors, on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. Guests can also be looky-loos. Participants get a chance to participate in ticketed productions, including the next one in August.
Catch an old comedy favorite with a twist in July. CVCT will present The Odd Cou-
ple—The Female Version, July 18-27, in which laid-back, messy Olive Madison and neurotic, uptight Florence Unger suddenly become roommates.
www.carsonvalleycommunitytheatre.org
Carson City Ghost Walk
Summer is the perfect time for a historic, mysterious stroll through downtown Carson City. The annual Carson City Ghost Walk returns Saturday nights, starting in June, led by Brüka’s own Mary Bennett as Madame Curry. The walk provides historic and fantastic information about the structures and people that are part of the city’s fabric. It’s a witch’s brew kind of season, Bennett said, with the tours weaving in some magical elements.
carsoncityghostwalk.com
Proscenium Players, Inc. What could be more playful than puppets? Carson City’s Proscenium Players, Inc. will dive into Avenue Q, the irreverent, puppet-filled musical parody of Sesame Street, May 30-June 8.
Set on the streets of New York City, it follows Princeton, our puppet protagonist, a 20-something fresh out of college, searching for his life’s purpose. It takes place in the Brewery Arts Center’s black box theater space.
PPI also continues to host its Wednesday evening improv classes for eager budding performances ready to say “Yes, and … ” www.prosceniumplayersinc.com
LAKE TAHOE
Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival Grab your blanket, a bottle of wine and your favorite companions—the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival returns with a full lineup July 5-Aug. 25.
First up is Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, the story of a shipwreck, mistaken identity and unrequited love. Sharing the stage on alternating evenings is Peter and the Starcatcher, a Peter Pan prequel about Peter’s untold adventures. A dozen actors portray more than 100 characters in this adventure featuring ingenious stagecraft and even, yes, puppets. Bring your little ones to family nights, July 13 and 20, and Aug. 10, for family-friendly preshow activities.
Every Monday (and an occasional Tuesday) are the one-night-only Showcase Series musical and dance performances from local and international acts. Tickets for most of the series are already sold out or limited, and some have waiting lists.
Finally, the D.G. Menchetti Young Shakespeare Program will present an interactive, one-hour adaptation of Twelfth Night performed by local students with professional actors, July 21-Aug. 3. laketahoeshakespeare.com
ABOVE: Reno Little Theater actors prepare to stage the ’80s cult classic Xanadu in all its skates-and-sequins glory, July 11-Aug. 10. Photo/David Robert
HEADER: Lake Tahoe Shakespeare presents Peter and the Starcatcher on alternating days at Sand Harbor, July 5-Aug. 24.
The summer of 2025 is upon us, and the summer movie season is under way, with the likes of Mission Impossible: Tom Cruise Is a Freaking Maniac Running and Smiling in My Spicy Nightmares, as well as Lilo & Stitch: Disney, You Are Really Starting to Push It With the Live-Action Shit Remakes of Animated Films, and I Might Not Love You Anymore
A glimpse at the remaining schedule reveals that, hey, this might actually be a well-balanced, fun summer movie season. I realize this counts as crazy optimism for me, but when I’m hopeful, I’m hopeful!
I’m so hopeful that I was up on the roof of my building a short while ago, singing the old timey hit “The Summer Movie Season Might Not Suck Ass for a Change!” This song actually doesn’t exist, so it led to much confusion and consternation with the neighbors. They wanted to sing along and dance with me, but I was just spewing unintelligible, made-up-on-the-spot lyrics at high volume. I was also naked and throwing water balloons at all of them.
I have issues. It was an ugly scene. Lawsuits pending. Will the DC Universe get back on track (Superman)? Will the Marvel Universe get back on track (The Fantastic Four: First Steps)? Will Tom Cruise—while performing his own stunts, of course—be consumed by a shark, then shat out its ass, with the Tom Cruise shark turd then being thrown off the Burj Khalifa by Rebecca De Mornay (who played the sex worker from Risky Business) and winding up in the rotors of a flaming helicopter piloted by none other than Tom Cruise, completing the strangest, most hardcore stuntman cycle in cinema history?
At last count, Pedro Pascal is in 783 movies this summer season, which makes him the winner of the Bob Grimm Cinema Whore-Face Award. Congratulations, Pedro! Be proud! It’s the Summer of Pedro!
Let the previews commence!
Bring Her Back (May 30): The Philippou brothers, the team that made the ultra-creepy Talk to Me, return with what looks to be another fine horror film in a year already rich in good horror movies. Early word is that Bring Her Back is grim and depressing—which makes it the perfect movie to kick the summer movie season into happy high gear!
Karate Kid: Legends (May 30): I was enjoying Cobra Kai on Netflix for a little while, but it got played out after the 75th crazily choreographed high school hallway fight in which the entire student body was kicking each other in the face, and while everybody should’ve gone to jail, nobody even got detention. Will the success of the TV show help this franchise’s return to the big screen? I’m predicting a big no. This one is going to bomb.
Dogma (June 5): One of Kevin Smith’s better movies, the religious comedy Dogma, gets a re-release. This one hasn’t been available for streaming anywhere (other than a copy somebody uploaded to YouTube). The theatrical run will be followed by a streaming date. Hooray!
The Phoenician Scheme (June 6): I’m going through a stretch where Wes Anderson’s approach has started to grind on me. He’s made so many movies I love, but he’s gotten a little too cute the last couple of times out.
Ballerina (June 6): Man, I don’t want to see Keanu Reeves as John Wick anymore, yet here he is, playing John Wick and battling Ana de Armas. John Wick 4 was perfect. Stop. Let the character go. We don’t need another
Hannibal Lecter scenario. (Actually, Red Dragon was pretty good.)
The Life of Chuck (June 6): The Stephen King short story is a classic, and director Mike Flanagan is the right man for the job. It’s not scary—this one is a feel-good drama!
Pavements (June 6): A strange-looking documentary about a wonderfully strange and beautiful band. This is one of the titles giving me hope that the summer will have more to offer than explosions and Tom Cruise running while maniacally smiling.
Dangerous Animals (June 6): A serial killer (Jai Courtney) plans to feed some folks he kidnapped to a bunch of sharks. That’s all I need to hear. I’m in.
How to Train Your Dragon (June 13): Disney started these live-action remakes of classic animated films, and now this non-Disney franchise is chiming in. This trend needs to stop, although I’d welcome a live-action remake of South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut.
Materialists (June 13): Pedro Pascal alert! He’s in this one! Elio (June 20): Pixar movie alert! This means at least one animated movie this summer has a shot at being something better than lame.
28 Years Later (June 20): “BOOTS, BOOTS, BOOTS … MOVING UP AND DOWN AGAIN!” Best trailer ever! Danny Boyle, 23 years ago, asked the question: “Say, what if the zombies could run, rather than lumbering about Romero style?” Now he returns to the franchise that changed the zombie genre forever. They all run around like maniacs now.
F1 (June 27): This looks like formulaic moviemaking for a Formula 1 movie. Brad Pitt is the old guy forced to train a younger guy on the true way to drive a car really, really, really, really fast. Isn’t this the 5,000th time this movie has been made?
M3GAN 2.0 (June 27): This sequel looks really stupid.
Jurassic World: Rebirth, aka This Dino Shit Is Never Going to Stop (July 2): The Jurassic Park movies ranged from good to great. The Jurassic World movies have ranged from OK to total shite. In this one, people insist upon going to a place where cloned dinosaurs will likely eat you … again.
40 Acres (July 2): This looks like a very different kind of cannibal movie—one of the summer movie season’s more interesting and complex offerings.
Superman (July 11): Hey, kids, gather ’round. We’re gonna do Superman … AGAIN. You’ve all heard me moan about Henry Cavill/Zack Snyder’s Superman being a whiny bitch. It looks like James Gunn read my moaning columns and said, “Say, Bob Grimm, you are right. Superman is supposed to be joyous and
A scene from Elio.
David Corenswet in Superman.
fun, and not some crybaby pissing and moaning about his daddy and mommy! I’m going to make a Superman just for you! Coming right up, Bob!” Yeah, the James Gunn-wanting-to-make-amovie-for-me thing is just a geek fantasy, but I do want to have fun watching a Superman movie again, and I certainly hope the reliable Gunn will bring the joy.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (July 18): The Gorton’s fish-stick guy is back with his stupid hook, and Jennifer Love Hewitt gets a summer job in this reboot.
Eddington (July 18): Director Ari Aster, an Ethan Coen doppelganger, delivered two classic horror films out of the gate with Hereditary and Midsommar. Then he confused the hell out of everybody (in a good way) with Joaquin Phoenix in Beau Is Afraid. Here, he reunites with Phoenix and casts, yes, Pedro Pascal (Pedro Pascal alert!) and Emma Stone in another dark comedy that seems to be splitting critics at the film festivals. Smurfs (July 18): They are still trying to make the Smurfs happen again. I used to buy Smurfs toys for girls as gifts in the ’80s when I was in high school. I didn’t have much luck with girls in high school. Come to think of it, I haven’t had much luck with women the last decade or so. Actually, scratch that—I haven’t had much luck with women my entire life! I blame the Smurfs. Fuck you, Smurfs. Fuck you in your stupid blue asses. This is probably why I hate the Avatar movies so much—too much blue. Too Smurf-like. All the Smurfs, and the Na’vi, can go straight to hell.
The Fantastic Four: First Steps (July 25): This is the other reason (besides Superman) I think this summer is going to be a good time for superhero movies again. PEDRO PASCAL ALERT … HE PLAYS MISTER FANTASTIC IN THIS ONE!
Happy Gilmore 2 (July 25): Adam “The Sandman” Sandler brings back his most beloved character for another go-round. It’s hard to believe Chubbs (Carl Weathers) is really dead. PEDRO PASCAL ALERT: PEDRO PASCAL IS NOT IN THIS MOVIE, UNLESS IT IS A SURPRISE CAMEO!
Bambi: The Reckoning (July 25): People have a bad time in the forest when they get attacked by a mutant deer angry about his mom’s death. No, this isn’t the long-rumored live remake of Disney’s Bambi. Disney is not endorsing this, but they damn well should have. This is absolutely the route they should go rather than their wasteful note-for-note live remakes. Get some balls, Disney!
Together (July 30): Body horror was an Oscar player last year with The Substance, and now Dave Franco and Alison Brie are going for critical and gory glory with Together. A copyright-infringement lawsuit was just filed against the producers by the writer/director of an indie film called Better Half. Hopefully it won’t hold up the release, because, premise stolen or not, I really want to see this one.
The Naked Gun (Aug. 1): I think Liam Neeson is a painfully unfunny guy. That stupid shit he did in Ted 2 with the Trix box, and the trailer for this reboot, have me dreading this trip to the theater. Leslie Nielsen is Frank Drebin! Forever and always. Casting Liam Neeson as Drebin, or Drebin Jr., or whatever, is like casting Louis C.K. as Rambo Jr.
Freakier Friday (Aug. 8): In this sequel, Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis switch bodies during a Sean Combs “Freak Off” party, thus qualifying this one as far freakier than the “freaky” original. Some 25,000 gallons of baby oil were used during filming and, quite disgustingly, more than half of that was consumed.
Weapons (Aug. 8): Another interesting-looking horror offering! Julia Garner stars in a film about disappearing children. I hope she fares better in this one than she did in that awful Wolf Man
Nobody 2 (Aug. 15): Lil’ Bobby Odenkirk returns to kick more ass in a film that looks to be a little brighter than its darkly comic predecessor. The trailer parodying the Vacation movies has me thinking this could be fun.
Honey Don’t (Aug. 22): Director Ethan Cohen, an Ari Aster doppelganger, offers his second film in a proposed lesbian road-comedy trilogy starring Margaret Qualley. Americana (Aug. 22): I’m thinking this has a shot at being the summer’s funniest movie. Writer-director Tony Tost makes his feature-film debut with a cast including Sydney Sweeney, Paul Walter Hauser and Simon Rex. It looks like a very twisted modern-day Western.
Jaws (Aug. 29): There will be a lot of re-releases this summer, but none is more notable than this. My all-time favorite movie, probably until the day I die, is celebrating its 50th anniversary. I saw it as a 7-year-old. Please, fathers everywhere: Take your young sons to see this movie, and allow their young, developing minds to witness the big-screen grandeur of Robert Shaw being eaten alive by a gigantic great white shark. Witnessing Shaw spouting blood out of his mouth will make your son a man!
Caught Stealing (Aug. 29): Austin Butler and Vincent D’Onofrio star for director Darren Aronofsky in this ’90s-based NYC
thriller. Let’s all hope for a return to form for Aronofsky. His last narrative film was The Whale. I was not a fan. This guy did Requiem for a Dream and The Fountain (a terribly underrated film), so hopes are high.
The Roses (Aug. 29): A remake you never thought you would see: 1989’s The War of the Roses gets a redo, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman replacing Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. PEDRO PASCAL ALERT! PEDRO IS NOT IN THIS MOVIE, BUT DON’T WE ALL KIND OF WISH HE WAS PLAYING THE LAWYER ROLE DANNY DEVITO PLAYED IN THE ORIGINAL?
The Conjuring: Last Rites (Sept. 5): Supposed to be the last one. Doubt it.
The Long Walk (Sept. 12): Cooper Hoffman (son of Philip Seymour) co-stars in this Stephen King adaptation about a group of teenage boys who participate in a very nasty walking contest. Mark Hamill has a prominent role.
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale (Sept. 12): Supposed to be the last one. Doubt it.
Spinal Tap II (Sept. 12): It looks like the summer movie season will end with the long-awaited return of Spinal Tap, with director Rob Reiner and much of the original cast coming back. Supposed to be the last one. Probably is. PEDRO PASCAL ALERT! THERE’S STILL TIME TO GET INTO THIS ONE, PEDRO! GIVE ROB REINER A CALL!
Liam Neeson in The Naked Gun.
When you live in a metro area nestled between the Great Basin and the Sierra Nevada, the adventure possibilities are endless.
For alpine peaks, mountain lakes and forested trails, just head toward Truckee, Tahoe or anywhere else uphill. To the east and north, remote desert wonders abound. You just have to know where to look for them.
A landscape photographer, a professional hiking guide, a guidebook author and two of the RN&R’s own experts shared their favorite destinations—all within day-tripping distance of Reno.
A BLAST OF SCI-FI TECHNICOLOR
Fly Geyser
Scott Mortimore does a lot of wandering. A landscape photographer who won accolades this year and last in Desert Companion magazine’s Focus on Nevada Photo Contest, he has a jaw-dropping portfolio of images that you should flash when your next East Coast relative who’s never been here says, “but Nevada seems so barren.”
Of the many far-flung Silver State locales Scott has photographed, Fly Geyser is a
favorite. It’s a surreal, conical formation of calcium carbonate and other minerals—formed by accident, starting in 1946, when a drill hit a well—that spews hot water 24/7 in the Hualapai Geothermal Flats near the Black Rock Desert.
“You’ve got this explosion of technicolor,” Scott said. “And there are these little hot pools around there, too.”
He learned about the geyser when he was a kid, on family hunting trips. “You could just drive down the road and get out and take a look at it,” he said. These days, the only way to visit is to join a guided nature walk.
Friends of Black Rock-High Rock offers tours of Fly Geyser on Saturdays and Sundays, April through November, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with blackout dates in late August due to Burning Man traffic. The tour meets at the group’s office, 320 Main St., in Gerlach. Tickets are $52, or $26.50 for kids 12 and under. For tickets and information, visit blackrockdesert.org.
To see Scott Mortimore’s photos, visit scottmortimore.com.
Distance from central Reno: 107 miles (plus 20 miles from the meeting spot to the geyser)
Travel time: 2 hours
Scott’s pro tips:
• Bring mosquito repellent.
• Eat at Bruno’s in Gerlach on the way home.
• For the best photos, shoot as early in the morning and as late in the year as possible to ensure softer light and longer shadows.
SO FAR YET SO CLOSE
Donner Peak Trail
Ashley Kasper, vice president of the adventure travel company Outdoor Calling, spends a lot of her time leading guided hikes in national
• If you’re not used to hiking at high elevation, take it slow and steady, and always pack plenty of water.
• On the way home, stop at Old 40 Bar and Grill at Donner Ski Ranch, at 19320 Donner Pass Road, in Norden, where the pie is made from scratch. Ashley favors the rhubarb and the caramel apple.
A WONDERLAND FOR WANDERERS
Placerville and El Dorado County
parks and throughout the Southwest. When she’s at home in Reno and she wants a quick adventure, one of her go-to spots is the Donner Peak Trail near Truckee, Calif.
“It feels like you’re getting away, but it’s not too far away,” she said.
The challenging, 3.7-mile out-and-back route starts out with switchbacks exposed to sun. “But the higher you go, you’re crossing some streams, and there are tons of wildflowers. It’s really pretty,” Ashley said.
The route intersects with the Pacific Crest Trail, which spans from Mexico to Canada, and Ashley enjoys chatting with the thru hikers she comes across. Her other favorite part: the view. After climbing from 7,000 feet to almost 8,000, you’ll see what she called “iconic views of Donner Lake” between picturesque Sierra granite formations. If you’re like Ashley, and reaching a peak just makes you want to reach another one, opt for an add-on to nearby Judah Peak, which makes the whole hike a 5.2 mile loop.
The Pacific Crest Trail and Donner Peak Trailhead is located at 96161 Old Donner Summit Road, in Truckee, Calif. There’s a spacious lot, and parking is easy. To learn more about Outdoor
Heidi Knapp Rinella, former food critic for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, is now making the most of retirement by traveling and camping a lot. The seventh edition of her guidebook, Nevada—Off the Beaten Path, published in May, is packed with fun facts, history, trivia and advice on what to do, indoors and out, in every part of the state. One her favorite day trips from Reno, however, is actually in California. Heidi and her husband had a “commuter marriage” for a few years, which had them often passing through the regions between Reno and Sacramento. This is how she stumbled upon Placerville and El Dorado County as a go-to adventure locale:
“My husband told me to check our AAA book—this was in the pre-smartphone era— for wineries,” she recalled. “I was dubious, but lo and behold—lots of them, tucked in
ABOVE: Fly Geyser, a surreal wonder near the Black Rock Desert, is open spring through fall for guided tours. Photo/Scott Mortimore
RIGHT: When professional outdoor guides Chris and Ashley Kasper want a nearby adventure, they hit the Donner Peak Trail. Photo/courtesy of Ashley Kasper
along winding roads, reached via dirt tracks. They were small and personal, with the actual winemaker presiding at each spot. Best of all, because of the topography, they specialized in zinfandels and Ports, among our favorites.”
“Today, there are more than 20 wineries near the Route 50 corridor and downtown Placerville,” Heidi said. “Some are a little fancier, and there are a few tasting rooms downtown. The town itself is quaint without being precious, with boutiques such as Gifts and Wishes and the Main Street Mercantile, and food-related stores such as Dedrick’s Main Street Cheese and Winterhill Olive Oil.”
To reach Placerville, take Interstate 80 west from Reno to State Route 49 South, or take U.S. 50 west from Carson City. One good source for trip advice is Visit Eldorado (visit-eldorado.com/visiting-el-dorados-wineries). For spontaneous travelers, Heidi noted that the area is suited to simply showing up and wandering.
The new edition of her book, Nevada—Off the Beaten Path, is available from major online retailers.
Distance from central Reno: 125 miles
Travel time: 2.25 hours
Heidi’s pro tips:
• Stop in for a crepe, fondue or a steak at the Enchanted Forest Dining Experience, 372 Main St., Placerville.
• Get some fresh produce at the Main Street Farmers Market, 574 Main St., Placerville, on Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to sundown. It opens for the season June 6.
A LOVELY LAKE LOOP AND ENOUGH SUGAR TO FUEL THE HIKE
Carson Pass
The Carson Pass Information Station is on State Route 88 in Alpine County, Calif.,
between South Lake Tahoe and Kirkwood Mountain.
“There are a ton of really nice hikes back there,” said Helena Guglielmino. She should know. She’s not just the RN&R’s outdoors columnist; she’s also a trail crew member for Tahoe Rim Trail Association and the author of the forthcoming hiking book Urban Trails Reno, scheduled for October publication.
One of Helena’s favorite trails, south of the parking area, is the 5-mile, out-and-back trek to Lake Winnemucca. For the cold-hardy, this alpine lake is perfectly swimmable. Spring snow usually yields an impressive July wildflower show.
For inspired hikers seeking more miles and more solitude, she recommends extending the route to nearby Round Top Lake or heading north from the parking area on a 10.2-mile roundtrip walk to Meiss Meadow.
“It’s so pretty,” Helena said. “It’s super lush” Wetlands, more wildflowers and views of Lake Tahoe included.
The Carson Pass Information Station is located on State Route 88, 27 miles south of South Lake Tahoe. A day-use parking permit is required.
Distance from central Reno: 76 miles
Travel time: 1.5 hours Helena’s pro tips:
• Parking can be tight, but may be less so on weekdays. There’s an overflow lot 350 feet west of the main parking area.
• “Make a full day of it”—from Reno, head south to Carson Valley; load up on “amazing” dark chocolate coffee bark at the Chocolate Shoppe, 1363 U.S. Highway 395, in Gardnerville; drive up Kingsbury Grade on State Route 88; hike to your heart’s content; stop at Divided Sky, 3200 U.S. Highway 50, in South Lake Tahoe, for carrot cake; then loop around the west side of Lake Tahoe for a scenic drive home.
ANCIENT HISTORY
Lagomarsino Petroglyph Site
Did you know that former RN&R editor Frank Mullen is also a history writer? He’s working on an update of his 1997 book The Donner Party Chronicles, and he’s logged countless miles checking out history sites of all kinds, all over the region.
He described the Lagomarsino Petroglyph Site in Storey County like this: “It’s close to Reno, and it is one of the most amazing petroglyph sites in Nevada, if not the West. … It’s near a spring, which, incidentally, is supposed to be haunted. There’s a basalt cliff face, an old lava flow, and over the millennia, big blocks of the cliff face have rolled down the hill into what they call a talus slope—a rock-strewn slope up against the cliff. And just about every
surface is covered in petroglyphs.”
He added that you could probably spend days there and not likely see them all.
These rock drawings appear in every form known in this part of the world, from simple lines and squiggles to human and animal forms to more complex designs. Anthropologists estimate that they could be up to 10,000 years old.
While you don’t need to be an extreme off-roader to reach Lagomarsino, you do need to be prepared for desert adventures. You’ll need a high-clearance, four-wheel-drive vehicle. Carry a spare tire or two, as the route involves sharp rocks.
Google Maps can show you a few different ways to get there—either from Virginia Highlands, Lockwood or Clark—but its estimate of a one-hour drive time from Reno will lead you astray. Plan on at least two, and possibly more, depending on conditions.
Of the three routes, Frank recommends the one from the Virginia Highlands. Take Lousetown Road to Long Valley Road to the petroglyphs.
Distance from central Reno: 33 miles
Travel time: 2 or more hours
Frank’s pro tips:
• Bring binoculars so you can spot the petroglyphs that are high above ground level.
• Bring a picnic lunch; hang out all day. You can climb around the petroglyphs, check out rock walls, and watch wild horses and other wildlife.
• “Don’t wreck stuff.” Vandalism at undeveloped petroglyph sites is common. Don’t make it more common.
• Be alert for rattlesnakes.
• Download your map before you go. Cell service is spotty at best.
Frank Mullen said there are so many petroglyphs at Lagomarsino Canyon that you could spend a couple of days there and still not see them all.
Photo/courtesy of Frank Mullen
It’s hard to ignore that prices are going up—but that doesn’t mean you can’t afford to have fun this summer. The Reno-Tahoe region offers plenty of attractions and diversions to accommodate most budgets. Here’s a calendar of upcoming events to keep you busy all season long.
ARTOWN: The citywide arts festival celebrates its 30th anniversary with concerts, theatrical performances, art shows, children’s arts programs and many other free and ticketed events throughout July. This year, some Artown events will move to Rancho San Rafael Regional Park while Wingfield Park is closed during bridge construction. Attendees can create spirit-animal-inspired face masks at a guided workshop during Artown’s Opening Day festivities starting at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 1, followed by a homecoming performance by world-beats ensemble Sol’Jibe at 7:30 p.m. Clarence Bekker and the C-Bees will headline Artown Closing Night at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, July 31. Opening and closing shows take place at the Nevada State Bank Stage in the former Great Basin Adventure area of Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, 1595 N. Sierra St. Admission is free. Visit artown.org.
AMERICAN CENTURY CHAMPIONSHIP: More than 80 sports stars and Holly-
safety and the importance of kindness and sharing. There will be vendors, food trucks, live performances and photo opportunities with Daniel Tiger and Katerina Kittycat, the stars of the children’s TV program Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, July 19, at Idlewild Park, 1900 Idlewild Drive. Admission is free. Visit www.pbsreno.org/events/be-my-neighbor-day.
BEST IN THE WEST NUGGET RIB
Rebecca Frazier is on the bill for the Bowers Bluegrass Festival, Aug. 22-24 at Bowers Mansion Regional Park.
wood entertainers will participate in the 36th annual celebrity golf tournament. The event, which also raises funds for local and national charities, distributes a purse of $600,000. The tourney gets under way with practice rounds on Wednesday and Thursday, July 9 and 10, followed by competitive play Friday-Sunday, July 11-13, at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, 180 Lake Parkway, Stateline. Tickets are $40 on Wednesday and Thursday, and $50 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A pass for all five days is $150. Kids age 10 and younger get in free with a paying adult. Visit americancenturychampionship.com.
BBQ, BREWS & BLUES: The 28th annual barbecue and beer festival offers St. Louis-style barbecue ribs, smoked beef brisket, pulled pork and all the fixin’s, as well as a wide selection of brews and beverages from more than 50 microbreweries. The street party features arts and crafts vendors, food vendors, and rock and blues acts performing from 3 to 10 p.m., Friday, June 13; and noon to 10 p.m., Saturday, June 14, outside the Eldorado, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus casinos on North Virginia Street in downtown Reno. Festival admission is free. Ticket price for the Tap Tent, which includes an all-you-can-eat buffet and unlimited beer or beverages, is $145. Beer tasting packages are $35.50-$63.50. Visit www.caesars.com/reno/events/bbq-brews-andblues-festival.
BE MY NEIGHBOR DAY: PBS Reno hosts its annual family-friendly community event promoting early childhood education, health,
COOK-OFF: More than 20 barbecue cooks compete for $19,500 in cash and bragging rights to the “best ribs in the West.” Enjoy a wide variety of ribs and other barbecued delights for sale; browse through arts and crafts vendor tents; play in the kids’ area; and enjoy live music and entertainment on two stages, including main stage headliners Ying Yang Twins, Tim Montana, Sister Hazel, Revisiting Creedence, Collin Raye and Red Hot Tribute. The end-of-summer bash kicks off on Wednesday, Aug. 27, and runs through Monday, Sept. 1, at Victorian Square, along Victorian Avenue, between 14th Street and Pyramid Way, in Sparks. Festival admission is free.
Visit www.nuggetribcookoff.com.
BIGGEST LITTLE WING FEST: Cooks will prepare more than 20,000 pounds of chicken wings to be devoured and judged as they compete for cash prizes and first-place honors during the 11th annual cook-off. The weekend festival features free concerts, a craft fair and fun activities, including the barnyard folly relay race, face painting, camel rides and bungee jumping. The festival takes place from 1 to 10 p.m. on Friday, July 25; and noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 26, outside the Eldorado, Silver Legacy and Circus Circus casinos on North Virginia Street in downtown Reno. Festival admission is free.
Visit www.caesars.com/reno/events/wing-fest.
BOWERS BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL:
Northern Nevada Bluegrass Association presents its 39th annual gathering in Washoe
Valley. The three-day event includes camping, kids’ activities, food trucks, a beer and wine garden, a country supper on Friday, a contra dance on Saturday, and performances by Rebecca Frazier, Never Come Down, The Town Howlers, Bay Area Special, Keith Little Trio, Toby and the Reno Grass, The Rough Edges, Coyote Crossing, The Monday Night Volunteers and Sunday Go to Meetin’. Festival hours are 3 to 7 p.m., Friday, Aug. 22; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 23; and 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 24, at Bowers Mansion Regional Park, 4005 Bowers Mansion Road, New Washoe City. Tickets are $15-$150. Early bird weekend passes are $110-$140 until June 30. Visit www.nnba.org/bowersbluegrassfestival.
BREWS, JAZZ & FUNK FEST: Enjoy a variety of beers for sale from local and regional breweries, including Alibi Ale Works, BrewBilt Brewing, FiftyFifty Brewing Co. and Truckee Brewing Co. The Floozies, Scott Pemberton O Theory, Pressing Strings, Dúo Dinámico and other bands will perform on three stages. Proceeds from the event benefit the Humane Society of Truckee-Tahoe. Festival hours are 1 to 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 16, at The Village at Palisades Tahoe, 1750 Village East Road, Olympic Valley, Calif. Tickets are $20 in advance and $28 day of. Admission is free for kids 12 and younger.
Visit www.palisadestahoe.com.
BURNING MAN: The temporary city dedicated to “community, art, self-expression and self-reliance” returns to the Black Rock Desert. This year’s theme is “Tomorrow Today,” to showcase “Burning Man’s global culture of art and innovation.” The end-of-summer gathering starts Sunday, Aug. 24, and runs through Monday, Sept. 1. Tickets are $650 and up. Visit burningman.org.
CAPITAL CITY BREWFEST: The annual beer festival and fundraiser for the Rotary Club of Carson City features more than two dozen craft brewers and food trucks, along with live music on Curry Street. The event takes place from 3 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, May 31, at Curry Street and Bob McFadden Plaza in downtown Carson City. Beer tasting tickets are $40 in advance and $45 at the door. Visit capitalcitybrewfest.com.
CELTIC NIGHT: Nevada Society of Scottish Clans and the Sons and Daughters of Erin, Northern Nevada, present their annual joint celebration of
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Sol’Jibe, founded in Reno in 2022, will play a homecoming show as part of Artown’s opening celebration on July 1 at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park.
FALLON CANTALOUPE FESTIVAL AND
The 40th annual festival celebrates Fallon’s agricultural past and present, showcases local talent, and promotes Nevada businesses, as well as agricultural education. Event highlights include fair exhibits, carnival rides, contests, rodeo, a farmers’ market, kids’ activities, vendors and live music. The fair is open from 1 p.m. to midnight, Friday, Aug. 22; 9 a.m. to midnight, Saturday, Aug. 23; and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 24, at the Churchill County Fairgrounds, 325 Sheckler Road, Fallon. Tickets are $6-$25. Visit www.falloncantaloupefestival.com.
Learn about Northern Nevada’s Native American tribes and the stories of those who attended the Stewart Indian School at the annual Father’s Day Powwow, which features arts and crafts, food vendors and hundreds of costumed dancers accompanied by traditional drummers. Grand entry performances start at 6:30 p.m., Friday, June 13; 1 and 6:30 p.m., Saturday, June 14; and noon, Sunday, June 15, at 5500 Snyder Ave., Carson City. Call 775-687-7608, or visit visitcarsoncity.com/events/fathers-day-
Enjoy an after-work meal under the canopy of shady trees during the summertime food truck event. The midweek gathering takes place from 5 to 8:30 p.m., every Wednesday, June 4-Sept. 3, outside of the McKinley Arts and Culture Center, 925 Riverside Drive. Visit www.facebook.com/ feedthecamel or www.instagram.com/feedthe-
The third annual festival features three days of music, gambling, and local food and craft vendors. The Brothers Comatose and Paul Thorn will perform at the kickoff party on Thursday,
Classic car enthusiasts will gather at venues in Reno, Sparks and Virginia City Aug. 1-10 for Hot August Nights. Photo/David Robert
July 24. Beats Antique, Thumpasaurus, Pixie and the Partygrass Boys, Squeaky Feet and Smokey the Groove play on the first night of the festival on Friday, July 25. Papadosio, Monophonics, My Son the Hurricane, Magoo and Sundays at Midnight close out the event on Saturday, July 26. Gates open at 2 p.m. on Thursday; and 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at the Crystal Bay Casino, 14 Highway 28, Crystal Bay. Single-day passes are $60.88$72.44; a two-day pass is $118.70. Visit www.crystalbaycasino.com/ gamblers-run-music-festival.
GREAT GATSBY FESTIVAL: The 38th annual living history event celebrates the life and times of the Prohibition Era through classic cars displays, vendors with 1920 wares for sale, live jazz, tours of the Pope House, and a tea and fashion show. Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 9-10, at the Tallac Historic Site, 1 Valhalla Drive, South Lake Tahoe. Prices vary. Festival admission is free. Gatsby tea and fashion show tickets are $TBA. Visit valhallatahoe.com or taylortallac.org/great-gatsby-festival.
HARMONY ON THE RIVER: Reno Philharmonic and the city of Reno presents this free weekly concert series with music ranging from classical to jazz. Performances start at 6 p.m., every Tuesday, June 3-Aug. 26, at the West Street Plaza, 220 W. First St. Visit www.reno.gov.
HIGH SIERRA MUSIC FESTIVAL: The 33rd festival features a mix of national and international acts across multiple genres including bluegrass, roots rock, folk, jazz, country and blues. This year’s lineup features ALO, Amy Helm Band, Andy Frasco and the U.N., Bamba Wassoulou Groove, Barker and Genfan, Barr Brothers and many others. Attendees can camp; participate in playshops, yoga sessions or kids’ activities; and shop a variety of arts and crafts and food vendors. The festival runs Thursday, July 3, through Sunday, July 6, at Plumas County Fairgrounds, 204 Fairground Road, Quincy, Calif. Festival passes are $35-$392, with separate vehicle and RV passes starting at $51. Late night shows are $30-$88. Visit www.highsierramusic.com.
HOT AUGUST NIGHTS: The 39th annual celebration of classic cars and rock ’n’ roll starts off in Virginia City with the official kickoff event on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 1-2. The weekend party features free live music, cruises and a show ’n’ shine along C Street. The main event gets under way on Monday, Aug. 4, in Reno. Festivities include live music, classic car displays, nightly cruises, drag races, show ’n’ shine competitions, a swap meet, the Motorsport Auction Group (MAG) Auction, the grand finale parade and more, through Sunday, Aug. 10, at the University of Nevada, Reno, campus and other locations in Reno and Sparks. Admission is free to most events. Visit hotaugustnights.net.
The McCharmlys, a band from Santa Ana, Calif., that blends ’60s-style rock ’n’ roll with punk, new wave and rockabilly, is slated to perform June 21 as part of the free, summerlong Levitt Amp series at the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City.
JIMMY BUFFETT TRIBUTE CONCERT:
The National Automobile Museum transforms its patio into a tropical getaway at this tribute to singer Jimmy Buffett starring Garratt Wilkin and the Parrotheads. The beachfront bash features food trucks, games, raffles and more starting at 6 p.m., Saturday, July 12, at 1 Museum Drive. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for museum members. Visit www.automuseum.org.
JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION: The Northern Nevada Black Cultural Awareness Society presents its 37th annual Juneteenth celebration, commemorating the end of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865. The all-ages event features food, games, vendors, an introduction to the new Miss Juneteenth and a tribute to singer Frankie Beverly. The celebration runs from noon to 6 p.m., Thursday, June 19, at the Glow Plaza, J Resort, 670 W. Fourth St. Admission is free. Visit www. facebook.com/NNBCAS or www.instagram.com/nnbcas.
LADY LUCK TATTOO ARTS EXPO:
M.O.M. Productions and Body Graphics Tattoo present the 19th annual expo featuring tattoo artists, vendors, exhibits and contests, from 2 to 10 p.m., Friday, May 30; noon to 10 p.m., Saturday, May 31; and noon to 7 p.m., Sunday, June 1, at the Grand Exposition Hall, and the Gold and Silver Room at the Silver Legacy Resort Casino, 407 N. Virginia St. Tickets are $20 per day, with free admission for kids age 14 and younger accompanied by a paying adult. Visit tattoopgh.com/ladyluck.html.
LAKE TAHOE CONCOURS
D’ELEGANCE: The 51st annual showcase features some of the world’s most wellpreserved and restored wooden boats. This year’s event celebrates “100 Years of Gar Wood Boats.” Tickets are $45 for a one-day pass, $60 for a two-day pass, and $60-$250 for
LEVITT AMP CONCERT SERIES: The ninth annual summer music series kicks off with a performance by ’60s-inspired indie rock band The McCharmlys on Saturday, June 21. Paige and the Overtones, Curley Taylor, Greg Gilmore and The Mexican Standoff are some of the acts scheduled to play this summer. The weekly event starts at 7 p.m., every Saturday through Aug. 23, outside Brewery Arts Center, 449 W. King St., Carson City. Visit breweryarts.org.
MANIA—BEATLES TRIBUTE
CONCERT: Twist, shout and re-live the magic of Beatlemania at this tribute concert to the Fab Four. The show starts at 6 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 2, at the National Automobile Museum, 1 Museum Drive. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for museum members. Visit automuseum.org.
MOVIES
upgrades. Admission is free for kids age 12 and younger. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 8; and 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 9 at Obexer’s Boat Company, 5300 W. Lake Blvd., Homewood, Calif. Visit laketahoeconcours.com.
LAKE TAHOE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL: The festival returns for its 53rd season with the mainstage productions of William Shakespeare’s gender-bending comedy Twelfth Night and Rick Elice’s play Peter and the Starcatcher, based on a novel by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson. Performances start at 7:30 p.m. on alternating days, Tuesday through Sunday, July 5-Aug. 24. Tickets are $22-$75 for gallery seating, and $110$690 for premium seats or table seating. The Showcase Series, featuring classical, jazz and rock concerts, as well as a ballet performance, starts at 7:30 p.m. on most Mondays and select Tuesdays, July 7-Aug. 25. Tickets range from $32-$125. A Nevada State Parks entrance pass ($10-$15) is required to enter and park at Sand Harbor. All performances take place on the William Edward Trepp Stage, Sand Harbor State Park, 2005 Highway 28, Incline Village. Visit laketahoeshakespeare.com.
LAZY 5 MUSIC SERIES: The 20th annual summer concert series opens with an all-day celebration featuring craft vendors from the Great American Craft Fair, a classic car show presented by the Obsolete Iron Car Club, a kids’ zone, food trucks and four sets of live music from Dom and Friends, Nick Eng and White Water, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, June 7. Beatles Flashback, Blu Egyptian and Blues Monsters, among other acts, are scheduled to play this summer. The shows start at 6:30 p.m., every Wednesday through Aug. 13, at Lazy 5 Regional Park, 7100 Pyramid Way, Sparks. Visit www.washoecounty.gov/parks/ calendar.php.
IN THE PARK: The Cordillera International Film Festival, in partnership with Bill Pearce Motors, presents the 30th annual film series as part of Artown. The Friday night event starts off with A Goofy Movie with special guest Bill Farmer on July 11. The series continues with a showing of Jumanji on July 18 and concludes with a mystery world premiere of a top-secret film on July 25. Screenings start at 7:30 p.m. at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, 1595 N. Sierra St. Admission is free. Visit www.ciffnv.org or artown.org.
NEVADA STATE FAIR: Dating back to 1874, Nevada’s state fair features thrill rides and games, food vendors and plenty of carnival fare, including cotton candy, funnel cakes and other treats, contests, activities, live music and other entertainment. Fair hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday, June 5, through Sunday, June 8, at Mills Park, 1111 E. William St., Carson City. Admission is free, and there is free parking at Mills Park and Carson High School, 1111 N. Saliman Road. Visit nevadastatefair.org.
NIGHT IN THE COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL: The 23rd annual festival features camping, contests and tournaments, and three days and nights of live performances by national, regional and local country music artists. Headlining acts include Joe Nichols and Elvie Shane on Thursday, July 24; Brantley Gilbert, Ashley McBryde, Chase Matthew and Drew Baldridge on Friday, July 25; and Koe Wetzel, Wyatt Flores, Ole 60 and Bayker Blankenship on Saturday, July 26. The event takes place at The Grange, 100 Highway 95A, Yerington. One-day festival passes are $112-$139; a three-day pass is $247. Visit nightinthecountrynv.org.
NORTHERN NEVADA INTERNATIONAL CENTER GLOBAL EXPO: Connect with new people and explore languages, traditions, artwork, fashion and music from all around the world at the third annual event organized by the Northern Nevada International Center
(NNIC), a nonprofit organization affiliated with the University of Nevada, Reno. The Artown event starts at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 15 at the Quad, University of Nevada, Reno, 1664 N. Virginia St. Admission is free. Visit artown.org or unr.edu/nnic.
NORTHERN NEVADA INTERNATIONAL DRAGON BOAT FESTIVAL: Dragon boat teams race across the Marina while spectators cheer them on. The event also features vendors and exhibitors in the Health and Wellness Village, Food Truck Bazaar and Cultural Expo. The event takes place on Saturday, Aug. 16, at the Sparks Marina, 300 Howard Drive, Sparks. Festival admission is free. Visit gwndragonboat.com/festivals/northernnevada-international-dragon-boat-festival.
OFF THE RAILS SUMMER CONCERT SERIES: OffBeat Music Society and the city of Reno present a family-friendly monthly concert series, which kicks off with performances by Killer Whale and Glamour Muscle on Friday, June 27, followed by Spacehall Sound Machine and Nightbrain on Friday, July 18, and Family Worship Center and Subtle Lovers on Friday, Aug. 29. The free shows start at 6 p.m. at Locomotion Plaza/Downtown Reno ReTrac Plaza, 301 N. Virginia St. Visit downtownreno.org/event/off-the-railsaugust-locomotion-plaza.
PATRIOTIC POPS AT THE FIELD:
Conductor Jason Altieri leads the Reno Philharmonic in this star-spangled salute to America featuring a mix of patriotic marches, pop favorites and more. Eric Henry Andersen and Friends will open the evening’s program. A fireworks show will follow later that night (weather permitting). The concert starts at 6 p.m., Thursday, July 3, at Greater Nevada Field, 250 Evans Ave. Tickets are $15-$50. Visit renophil.com/patriotic-pops-at-the-field.
POLLINATOR PALOOZA: The Nevada State Museum and Bee City USA #76 celebrate Pollinator Month with the inaugural festival in downtown Carson City. The event starts at the Nevada State Museum at 8:30 a.m., Saturday, June 21, with sidewalk chalk art on the westside walkway, followed by face painting, pollinator-themed crafts and a Nevada Pollinator Curator’s Corner at 9 a.m. in the Dema Guinn Concourse and Loftin Park. The costumed Pollinator Parade starts at 10 a.m. from Loftin Park and proceeds along Carson Street through the downtown corridor. More activities start at 1 p.m. at the Carson Mall, 1313 S. Carson St. Free activities take place in the Dema Guinn Concourse, Loftin Park and westside parking area at the Nevada State Museum, 600 N. Carson St., Carson City. Admission to museum exhibit galleries is $10 for adults and free for members and children age 17 and younger. Visit www.carsonnvmuseum.org/event/ pollinator-palooza-at-the-nevada-state-museum.
POPS ON THE RIVER: The Reno Phil presents its 30th annual fundraising event as part of Artown. The evening will feature a costume contest and table-decorating contests, raffle prizes, a live auction and a performance by the Reno Philharmonic led by music director Laura Jackson. The concert celebrates “Icons: The Voices That Changed Music,” and starts at 8 p.m., Saturday, July 12, at the Great Basin Adventure area of Rancho San Rafael Regional Park, 1595 N. Sierra St. General admission tickets are $30. Visit renophil.com/ pops30thanniversary.
PROGRAMS ON THE PORCH: The Wednesday night concert series opens with music by Rough Edges on June 4, followed by High West Bluegrass on June 11, Coyote Crossing on June 18 and Sage Creek on June 25. Bring a blanket or chair. Performances start at 7 p.m. in front of Bowers Mansion, 4005 Bowers Mansion Road, New Washoe City. Admission is free, but donations are welcome. Visit www.washoecounty.gov/parks.
PUNK ROCK PRIDE: Reno Punk Rock Flea Market presents its second annual all-ages event showcasing queer artists, musicians, performers and vendors. There will be a drag performance, tarot readings, a possum pile clothing exchange, mutual aid groups and music by Opaque Opioids and Glitter Ghost, among others. The festivities last from noon to 8 p.m., Saturday, June 21, at Note-Able Music Therapy Services, 2590 Orovada St. General admission tickets are $10 in advance and $15 day of show. Admission is free for kids ages 12 and younger. Visit www.rprfm.org or www.facebook.com/rprfm.
RAGECON: The 10th annual tabletop gaming convention features exhibitors, tournaments, special guests and more. Gaming is open all weekend for 24 hours a day starting at 10 a.m., Friday, June 27, and ending at 10 p.m., Sunday,
June 29, at the Grand Sierra Resort, 2500 E. Second St. Admission badges are $40-$90. Visit www.ragecon.com.
RAINBOW RUN, ROCK & ROLL: Part of Truckee Pride Week, the festival includes a 5k fun run/walk, a shortened course for those on wheels, live musical performances, local art vendors, community booths, food trucks and more. The event runs from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sunday, June 1, at Truckee River Regional Park, 10500 Brockway Road, Truckee, Calif. Festival admission is free; entry into the run is $30-$45. Visit www. tahoeexpeditionacademy.org/rrrr.
RENO BASQUE FESTIVAL: The 57th annual celebration of Basque culture and heritage features traditional food, music, folk dances, weightlifting and wood-chopping exhibitions. Arts and crafts will be available for purchase. Admission is free. The event takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, July 19, at the McKinley Arts and Culture Center, 925 Riverside Drive. Visit renobasqueclub.org or artown.org.
RENO RIVER FESTIVAL: The annual celebration of outdoor adventure and fun on the Truckee River offers three days of activities, attractions and entertainment, including the Reno Tahoe Adventure Park, Yoga in the Park, Art on the Rocks, Vendor Village, Food Fest and Rubber Duck Scavenger Hunt. Twenty four music acts will perform on two stages with headliners Spin Doctors on May 30, Alien Ant Farm on May 31, and IrieFuse on June 1. Festival hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, May 30; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, May 31; and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday, June 1, at Idlewild Park, 2055 Idlewild Drive. A threeday festival pass is $12; admission is free for kids age 17 and younger. Entry fees range $25$180 for the Great Reno River Rally, Bucket Golf Tournament, Hops and Happiness Tour
and other festival events. Visit renoriverfestival.com.
RENO RODEO: Dubbed the “wildest, richest rodeo in the West,” the 106th annual event includes a cattle drive, Xtreme Bull riding, a drill team and other rodeo competitions, a kids’ rodeo, carnival rides and more from Thursday, June 19, through Saturday, June 28. Tickets are $17-$32. Scotty McCreery will headline the K-Bull 98.1 Reno Rodeo Kickoff Concert on Wednesday, June 18. Tickets are $65 in advance and $75 on the day of the event. The rodeo takes place at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center, 1350 N. Wells Ave. Visit renorodeo.com.
RENO STREET FOOD—FOOD TRUCK EVENTS: The annual food truck event expands to Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at three different locations. Choose from multiple rotating food, dessert and drink vendors. Bring a blanket or chair, and relax on the grass while enjoying live music. Food Truck Friday takes place from 4 to 9 p.m., June 6-Aug. 29, at Idlewild Park, 1900 Idlewild Drive. Food Truck Wednesday is from 4 to 8 p.m., June 11-Aug. 6, at Cyan Park, 2121 Long Meadow Drive, Reno. Food Truck Thursday runs from 4 to 8 p.m., June 12-Aug. 7, at North Valleys Regional Park, 8085 Silver Lake Road, Reno. Visit www.facebook.com/RenoStreetFood.
RENO TAHOE ODYSSEY: The Reno-Tahoe Odyssey Relay Run Adventure (RTO) is a relay from Reno to Lake Tahoe and back to Reno, making a 178-mile loop around the Reno-Tahoe region. It starts Saturday, May 30, at the Glow Plaza at the J Resort, and goes along the Truckee River in downtown Reno, and passes through Truckee, Tahoe City, South Lake Tahoe, Genoa, Carson City and Virginia City before returning to Reno and finishing back at the Glow Plaza, on Sunday, May 31. The course is divided into 36 legs or segments, with each leg averaging about five miles. Visit renotahoeodyssey.com.
ROLLIN’ RENO: The outdoor roller-skating event expands to five nights a week this summer. The grand opening party features live music, local artisans, food and drink trucks, a classic car display, activities and all-day skating from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, June 14, at City Plaza (aka Believe Plaza), 30 N. Virginia St. Entry is $5 (card or Apple Pay only) for skate rental, and free if you bring your own skates. Visit downtownreno.org/rollinreno.
SIERRA NEVADA LAVENDER AND HONEY FESTIVAL: The eighth annual event celebrates all things lavender and honey. There will be demonstrations and educational exhibits by lavender growers and beekeepers, food made with lavender and honey, a lavender bonnet and honey hat contest, arts and crafts booths, a chalk walk and live music and entertainment, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, July 13, at Idlewild Park, 1900 Idlewild Drive.
Lake Tahoe Shakespeare presents Twelfth Night on alternating days July 5-Aug. 24 at Sand Harbor.
Admission is free. No pets, except service dogs, will be allowed on the festival grounds. Visit www.lavenderandhoneyfest.com.
SILVER AGE COMIC CON: The pop-culture and comic convention is a family-friendly event that celebrates comic books, movies, fantasy and sci-fi, superheroes, collectibles and more. Special guests scheduled to appear include Adam Baldwin, Amy Allen, Tony Oliver, Jon St. John, Floydman Sumner and Luis Rivera, among other actors, artists and cosplayers. The event is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, July 12-13, at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, 4590 S. Virginia St. Tickets are $10-$75. Entry is free for kids age 12 and younger accompanied by a paying adult. Visit www. silveragecomiccon.com.
SLAVIC FESTIVAL CONCERT: The Balalaika and Domra Association of America (BDAA) will hold its 45th annual conference in Reno. Members of the BDAA will perform orchestral pieces featuring the balalaika, domra, bayan and other associated instruments at a concert open to the public. The musicians will be joined by instrumental virtuosos, folk singers and traditional Slavic dancers at the concert, which starts at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, July 12, at Circus Circus, 500 N. Sierra St. Tickets are $15-$28. Visit artown.org or www.altbdaa.com.
STANDUP COMEDY NIGHT WITH ADAM CAROLLA: The comedian and car enthusiast returns to the National Automobile Museum for an evening of laughs, classic cars and his personal Paul Newman race car collection. A VIP meet and greet starts at 6 p.m., followed by the main show at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 6, at 1 Museum Drive. Tickets are $30 for general admission and $50 for the VIP meet and greet. Visit automusuem.org.
STAR-SPANGLED SPARKS: Celebrate
Independence Day with arts and crafts booths, food and drink vendors, live entertainment and a fireworks display shot off the rooftops of the Nugget Casino Resort. The fun begins at 3 p.m., Friday, July 4, along Victorian Avenue in downtown Sparks. The fireworks show starts after 9:45 p.m. (wind conditions permitting). Admission is free. Visit williamsltd.com/ star-spangled-sparks4th-festival-crafts or www.cnty.com/ nugget.
STREET VIBRATIONS SPRING RALLY:
The 16th annual motorcycle celebration condenses the elements of the larger Fall Rally into one weekend. There will be motorcycle shows, live entertainment, poker runs and vendors selling motorcycle gear and related items. The motorcycle rally takes place Friday through Sunday, June 6-8, along C Street in Virginia City. Free festival admission. Visit www.visitrenotahoe.com/events/ street-vibrations-spring-rally-2025
SUMMER FAMILY ARTS FESTIVAL:
Arts for All Nevada presents a fun-filled day of creativity for the whole family. Explore the Lake Mansion; participate in arts and crafts activities; meet local historian Patty Cafferata, and more. The Artown event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, July 12, at the Lake Mansion Arts and Cultural Center, 250 Court St. Admission is free.
Visit www.artsforallnevada.org.
SUMMER STARGAZING NIGHTS:
Astronomy experts will offer guided telescope viewings, and attendees can learn all about constellations and deep sky objects, all in a peaceful setting out in the Red Rock hills, far from city lights, from 9 to 10:30 p.m. on Fridays, May 30, June 27, July 25, and Aug. 15 at Animal Ark Wildlife Sanctuary, 1265 Deerlodge Road. Tickets are $20-$40 (includes same-day admission to park). Visit animalark.org.
TRUCKEE PRIDE WEEK: The second annual festival celebrates Pride Month and Truckee’s LGBTQIA+ community with a week of activities and events across the Truckee-Tahoe region. The celebration starts with Tahoe Expedition Academy’s Rainbow Run, Rock & Roll 5k fun run/walk/roll on the Truckee River Legacy Trail, followed by a kickoff event at the Sunset Lounge inside the Ritz-Carlton Lake Tahoe on Sunday, June 1. Other
highlights include Punk Pride and Sparkle Bike Night on Thursday, June 5, Clear the Path: A Pride Trail Stewardship Day on Friday, June 6, Community Picnic and Film Screening and It’s Camp! Queer Ascent Party featuring Pattie Gonia on Saturday, June 7, and Drag Brunch on Sunday, June 8. Locations and prices vary. Visit truckeepride.org.
VALHALLA RENAISSANCE FAIRE: Enjoy two weekends of action-packed shows, music, dancing, jesters, Shakespearean vignettes, choreographed battles, vendors and more. The theme for the first weekend is “Pirate Invasion.” The following weekend is “Masquerade and Fantasy.” Festival hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 16 and 23; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 17 and 24, at Tahoe Valley Campground, 1175 Melba Drive, South Lake Tahoe, Calif. Tickets are $15-25. Admission is free for kids age 6 and younger.
Visit valhallafaire.com or www.facebook.com/ valhallafaire.
VIRGINIA CITY ODDITIES SHOW: Explore Mackay Mansion, and stroll the gardens where weirdness and wonder collide during a sideshow of visual and performance art presented by the Menagerie Oddities Market. Vendors will sell unusual wares, including bones, bugs, taxidermy, bizarre art, strange home decor, unique fine jewelry, collectibles, medical specimens and antiques. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, June 7; and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sunday, June 8, at the Mackay Mansion Museum, 291 S. D St., Virginia City. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door (not including museum tours). A two-day pass is $45. Free entry for kids under age 5. Museum tours are $7-$14. Visit www. therealmackaymansion.com or www.themenagerieodditiesmarket.com.
8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.—Nevada State Museum fun family activities face painting, vendor fair, chalk art, curator’s corner 9:30-11 a.m.—Costumed Pollinator Parade (1 mile) Starts at Nevada State Museum (east side)
Dress as your favorite pollinator!
1-2 p.m. Drive to the Carson Mall- the fun continues: magician, honey tasting, chocolate, and FLASHMOB BEE WAGGLE DANCE!
3 p.m. Chalk Art Finale and Pollinator Passport Winners Announced at Nevada State Museum
The Reno Rodeo, dubbed the “wildest, richest rodeo in the West,” returns to the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center for its 106th year, June 19-28.
On a late spring afternoon last year, Jason Jurss found himself white-knuckled in the passenger seat of his truck, watching his 16-year-old daughter nervously navigate a blind curve on Nevada State Route 28.
Their driving lesson nearly ended in disaster. “She was almost in a bad accident because someone was parked out about 4 1/2 feet into the road,” said Jurss, owner of Happy Tiers Bakery in Incline Village. “Then, people came walking out from behind a vehicle. ... We were forced toward the center. She pretty much threaded the needle to keep from totaling our truck.”
Jurss’ story is just one example of a growing Lake Tahoe-traffic issue: Summer weekend backups stretch for miles; drivers park on shoulders near popular trailheads and beaches; and traffic has ballooned in recent years.
The Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Plan from 2023 estimates that Tahoe sees 2 million unique overnight visitors per year, plus many more “untethered” visitors who pass through or use trails and beaches. (Both types of visitors might be present on multiple days, which is why you’ll see figures out there for “visitor days” in the 15 million range.)
The number of residents in the Tahoe Basin, around 55,000, hasn’t risen drastically in recent decades—only 6% from 1990 to 2020, according to Census data. The visitor count has increased much faster. According to the most recent data from the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, daily traffic counts at U.S. Route 50
over Spooner Summit—one of seven major access points to the basin—increased 43% from 2009 to 2022. Caltrans data (as reported by a transport expert in the Tahoe Daily Tribune) shows the two major North Shore highways—SR 89 and SR 267—carried about 24,800 vehicles per day in 2022, a 7% increase from pre-pandemic counts.
Over the same time period, the road infrastructure—mostly narrow two-lane highways—has remained unchanged.
These high-volume corridors experience routine slowdowns, spiking higher on peak summer days, as lake visitors funnel through choke points like the roundabouts in Tahoe City and Kings Beach, or the narrow, two-lane sections of SR 28 along the East Shore.
Congestion hot spots are most pronounced in summer. Weekend traffic backing up for a mile at the Sand Harbor parking entrance on SR 28 has become a familiar sight.
For Jurss and many other full-time residents of the basin, the surge has affected them personally. During the pandemic, his bakery shifted from events to deliveries, covering a wide radius.
“I would need to leave at 4 a.m. to be able to get everybody’s items there,” he said. Since then, the problem has shifted from a temporary, seasonal disruption to year-round congestion, he said.
For Jurss and other business owners, Tahoe traffic is both an indicator of, and a deterrent to, the customer base on which he depends.
“We feed our family by selling cups of coffee and cakes,” he said. “So, the more people coming through, the better. But if people are apprehensive to travel the routes, then it actually inhibits business to have more people.”
A patchwork of stakeholders and strained roads
Devin Middlebrook, government affairs manager for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), has spent the past decade working to bring dozens of competing jurisdictions and agencies together to solve the region’s infrastructure issues.
“Transportation at Tahoe has always been a major challenge,” Middlebrook said. “(Much of our transportation) system was built in the 1950s and 60s. It was really a system that was built during the time when auto was the primary mode of travel, and people were getting out and enjoying the great outdoors through driving. … Now, 72% of stormwater pollution that harms Lake Tahoe comes from our urban environment and roadway system.”
Middlebrook explained that the TRPA, created in 1969 through a bi-state compact between California and Nevada, now serves as a regional convener, coordinating more than 80 public and private partners to align on environmental goals. The agency also authors a 25-year regional transportation plan every four years. The latest version, Connections 2050, envisions scalable, eco-friendly transit options that de-emphasize car travel.
“The goal isn’t to drive more visitation. It’s really to change how existing people are moving around now, and shifting them out of their automobile,” Middlebrook said. “We want to shift people out of their vehicles to buses, bikes, trails and feet.”
Why TART matters
A cornerstone of TRPA’s vision is the Tahoe Truckee Area Regional Transit system, or
TART. Serving North Tahoe and Truckee, TART’s services include fixed-route buses, paratransit, and the app-based TART Connect microtransit shuttle system.
“TART Connect is our first-mile, last-mile connection to the main TART line, the big buses that run from Incline to Truckee and basically all points in between,” said Andy Chapman, president of Travel North Tahoe Nevada, a regional destination-marketing organization. “It helps get people from their home or hotel to the main TART bus line. But we don’t have sustainable funding for it.”
Chapman said TART Connect, currently in its fourth year, was originally funded through a patchwork of partners. At its peak, it ran 16 hours a day and served mostly local residents. Today, due to budget constraints, it runs only six hours a day. “Eighty percent of the ridership is residential,” Chapman said. “Kids use it to get to school or the beach, seniors to their doctor’s appointments. Residents use it to go out to dinner or a show and not have to worry about driving home at the end of the night. So, it’s a very popular service.”
Proposed fixes: fees, ferries or an improvement district?
Some policymakers have floated alternative fixes. The Washoe County Commission has considered a visitor fee to fund transportation improvements, though due to legal complications and concerns about equity of access, the proposal has gained limited support.
“Lake Tahoe is a national treasure, owned and enjoyed by the American people and the global audience,” Chapman said. “The idea that you could put gates up and stop people from coming in is not a viable solution.”
Meanwhile, one novel idea has emerged in the form of the hydrofoil ferry announced in 2024, which has generated interest, but would have limited impact, as the service would carry only a few dozen people per day.
One proposal gaining traction is Senate Bill 420, which would allow communities on the Nevada side to form business-improvement districts (BIDs). Under this system, businesses would voluntarily assess themselves and direct the funds toward projects like TART Connect, parking solutions or public beautification.
“It’s not a tax; it’s a business assessment,” Chapman said. “And it’s worked.”
A similar BID in place since 2021 on the California side, managed by the North Tahoe Community Alliance, reportedly generates about $6 million annually. Those funds have supported workforce housing programs, parking infrastructure, and transit services like TART Connect.
However, the proposal has also met skepticism from some residents and watchdogs. In an April 17 op-ed in the Nevada Current, Pamela Mahoney Tsigdinos argued that BIDs amount to “a new form of ‘private government,’” levying fees like a tax, but managed by unelected business interests.
beautification, and year-round economic vitality,” Chapman said. “The businesses are ready to do their part.”
Culture shift on the horizon
While disagreements around funding and logistics persist, many stakeholders agree that encouraging the use of public transport is the best way to address the dangerous gridlock that plagues the Tahoe basin.
Balancing Tahoe’s overwhelmingly tourism-driven economy with environmental and quality-of-life concerns means finding ways to maximize the number of people entering the basin while minimizing the number of cars they’re driving.
However, that solution must also address a fundamental question of culture in Tahoe—and the entire country.
“ The goal isn’t to drive more visitation. It’s really to change how existing people are moving around now and shifting them out of their automobile. We want to shift people out of their vehicles to buses, bikes, trails and feet. ”
“Residents who shop, dine or recreate within a ‘district’ always pay the fee,” she wrote. “Communities effectively subsidize private agendas.”
Tsigdinos directly criticized the TRPA’s involvement in crafting the legislation, and pointed to language from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration explaining how BIDs are fundamentally unequipped to offer long-term solutions to public-transportation issues
“BIDs are not public agencies and cannot be directed to accomplish transportation goals, services or facilities desired by elected officials and agencies,” she wrote.
SB420’s backers say that any BID would require a majority vote of the businesses and ongoing county oversight, with multiple public-input opportunities before anything is finalized.
“If we’re successful with SB 420, we’ll focus investment in four areas: transportation, visitor impact mitigation, downtown core
“We Americans love our cars,” Middlebrook said.
“But it’s becoming part of Tahoe’s identity to leave the car at home.”
He pointed to initiatives like Tahoe Bike Month, where thousands log miles on two wheels in June. More broadly, he wants both residents and visitors to “live like a local.”
“It’s about drinking Tahoe tap water, not using disposable water bottles, being nice on the trail,” he said. “What visitor doesn’t want to experience that local lifestyle?”
TRPA’s 2050 plan also prioritizes incentives. Placer County is exploring transit-only lanes that would allow buses to bypass traffic.
“If the bus gets there faster than your car, you’ll take the bus,” Middlebrook said.
Evacuation planning also plays a role. With wildfires increasingly common, TRPA’s plan includes forest thinning near highways and parking lots to ensure safer exits during emergencies.
“It’s all interconnected,” Middlebrook said. “If we don’t do things to protect the environmental beauty, then no one will want to come here or live here.”
Jurss agrees. As a father and entrepreneur, he’s seen both the safety risks and economic impacts firsthand.
“Safety matters most,” he said. “But we also need to protect the reason people come to Tahoe in the first place.”
Enchanted evenings
Chase and Kaileigh Hasty cast a spell with their new show, ‘That’s Magic,’ at the GSR
I consider myself a sensible, pragmatic person. I’ve even been called cynical—certainly not someone you’d ever call “full of childlike wonder.” But I confess that when it comes to magic, I turn into a little kid, with wide eyes and a gaping mouth, absolutely convinced magic must be real.
Even though I was seated in the front row at That’s Magic, the brand-new production entering its yearlong run at the Grand Sierra Resort’s new White Rabbit Theater and Lounge, magician Chase Hasty and his wife, dancer and assistant Kaileigh, had me completely under their spell. Even from my vantage point, literally below them, I caught no slip-ups, wires or mirrors. Perhaps, as the show’s title (and frequent refrain) proclaims, that’s … magic?
Chase shares during the show—reinforced in an interview with me—that he took up magic at the tender age of 5, when he received a magic kit for Christmas. After he absorbed all the lessons he could from the kit, his parents
found him a mentor two hours from home, making the commute for the sake of their son’s magic tutelage.
“I grew up in a small town of about 4,000 in Nebraska, and by the time I was 9 or 10, people started asking me to do shows at, like, the chamber of commerce Christmas party,” he said, adding that it also helped to join a local magic club, and devour books and YouTube videos on the subject.
He eventually went on to study at the famous Chavez Studio of Magic, College of Manual Dexterity and Prestidigitation, the California school for sleight of hand, established in 1941 by Marion Chavez and a training ground for such famous magicians as Doug Henning, Lance Burton and David Copperfield.
Ready to wow audiences, Chase sought out performing opportunities and found one in Guam, at a long-running magic theater where beloved Reno performers Mark Kalin and Jinger Leigh met and got their start. Here, Chase met
Kaileigh, a dancer from Kennewick, Wash., who had received a bachelor’s in dance performance and choreography from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her first professional contract had been with a magic show in Branson, Mo.
“I did more of a ballet number and handed the magician things on and off stage, but I figured I’d probably never be involved in magic again,” she said. “Then I had an opportunity to move to Guam for a big production, which just happened to be a magic show.”
She met Chase during a levitation rehearsal, on the day of their grand opening in 2019, she said. They got engaged in 2020, but the pandemic brought an untimely end to the production. The couple packed up and moved to Las Vegas.
“We knew if entertainment was going to come back, it would happen in Vegas first,” Chase said.
Indeed, it did come back, and the couple found opportunities there and, later, at The Loft Restaurant/Lounge in Heavenly Village in South
| BY JESSICA SANTINA
The old movie theater at the Grand Sierra Resort has been renovated and is now the White Rabbit Theater and Lounge, where Chase and Kaileigh Hasty and their assistants dazzle with magic, comedy and dance. Photo/David Robert
Lake Tahoe. When The Loft’s owners made the investment in the old movie theater at Reno’s Grand Sierra Resort, to create a space for bigger-scale performances, the Hastys became its headliners, launching the theater in early May with That’s Magic.
The all-ages show primarily features illusions and sleights of hand—impressive card tricks, the sword box trick, and even a nifty bit of levitation with a volunteer from the audience— interspersed with comedy and storytelling by the pair. The show also includes some visually stunning dance numbers from Kaileigh and two other dancers, as well as a remarkable aerial number by Kaileigh.
As the chief magician, Chase has such a wholesome, kid-like approachability and earnest desire to delight audiences that it’s somehow even more impressive when he does so—handily. Meanwhile, Kaileigh’s lithe frame and gorgeous smile make her physical work beguiling to watch, yet she also pulls off a comedic performance (in her very own “magic trick”) that’s every bit as enjoyable. For those of you champing at the bit to grab the spotlight, the show offers plenty of opportunities for eager volunteers, including little ones, to partake in illusions.
New to the repertoire is the duo’s 18-and-up show, Nocturnal, running Friday and Saturday nights at 9 p.m., after That’s Magic.
“The humor is different. As you may have noticed, we don’t go off-color (in That’s Magic); I don’t cuss,” Chase said. “I don’t get political. I just want everyone to see something entertaining.”
Added Kaileigh: “With Nocturnal, it’s just more unfiltered. The style of costuming is a little more burlesque-y. But no nudity; it’s tastefully adult.”
They say the shows are still evolving and, hopefully, will expand with time. They are on contract with the theater for a year, leaving plenty of time for new elements to enter.
“So far, it’s been good … and stressful,” Kaileigh said about mounting a show of this scale. “But hopefully word of mouth will catch on. We’re very excited!”
Meanwhile, I’ll be over here still trying to figure out how that levitation trick works.
That’s Magic is performed nightly at 7 p.m.; tickets are $20.35 to $37.85. Nocturnal is performed at 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday; tickets are $24.75 to $37.85. Shows are at the White Rabbit Theater and Lounge, at the Grand Sierra Resort, 2500 E. Second St. For tickets or more information, visit www.thewhiterabbittheater.com.
ART OF THE STATE
A geography of faces
The Portrait Society of Reno’s book is an album of Nevadans’ images and personalities
For nearly 70 years, a cadre of Reno artists has practiced the ancient art of portraiture, immortalizing their subjects—often friends or neighbors—in oil, acrylics, watercolor, charcoal or pencil.
Each Wednesday, the members of the Portrait Society of Reno spend about two hours in a room at Nevada Fine Arts focusing on a volunteer model. Their goal is not only to create a likeness of their subjects, but to capture some of the models’ personalities, character and emotions. That’s a tall order, artists said; it takes practice and experience.
Patty Biederman, a society member for the past five years, was an art major in college, and previously painted landscapes rather than people. For a portrait artist, she said, the geography of a face tells a story.
“You want to capture their personality; it’s not a photographic treatment,” Biederman said. “Artists see different things. There may be 19 different interpretations of the same model.”
Annie Norris, who spent her career working with costumes for stage productions, including the long-running Hello, Holly-
wood Hello in Reno, agreed portraits have more in common with stories than snapshots.
“You can see stories in their bodies and their faces,” she said. “You can feel the energy of the subject.”
The society’s new book, A History of the Portrait Society of Reno, features a sampling of the members’ work over the last seven decades, as well as biographies of the artists and a short history of the society. A few of the models are well-known locally, but most of the sitters have never been mentioned in a news article. Their stories are in their faces, eyes and posture.
“Everyone has energy, an essence,” said Kay Genasci, society president. That energy comes through even though the model sits as still as a statue. “Everybody has some aura around them,” she said.
The book is a timeline of the society, beginning in 1957, when artist Marge Means formed the group as a way for local artists to practice and improve the difficult art of portraiture. Gus Bundy was the facilitator at the workshops for decades, starting each session with the booming admonition: “Time to pose, please!”
The book leads off with portraits by Means,
| BY FRANK X. MULLEN
Portrait Society of Reno members Annie Norris, Kay Genasci and Annie Fulk with A History of the Portrait Society of Reno book during the group’s May 14 workshop at Nevada Fine Arts in Reno. Photo/David Robert
who led the society until the late 1990s, and by Bundy, a lifelong artist and nationally known photographer from New York. The portraits progress through the decades, with work by Renate Neumann, Marilyn Melton, Joan Shonnard, Ray Freeman, Roianne Hart and many others.
Artist Norm Lamont spearheaded the project. He edited the biographies of the artists, took photos of the artwork and then adjusted the digital images to get the color reproduction just right.
“Norm spent endless hours on the book and magically got it to the printer on time,” Genasci said. “There would be no book without him.”
And there would be no book if not for the models, most of whom had never before sat for a portrait.
“It’s not easy to sit motionless for two hours, even with a (10-minute) break every 20 minutes,” said Joe Hunt, a Reno teacher, artist and writer who served as a model in May. “You’ve got to have something in your head while you are up there. I write a novel in my brain.”
Models collect a $40 fee, but the reward goes beyond money, he said. “It’s fun to see the portraits and interesting to see what people saw in you,” Hunt said.
Some artists may consider their portraits to be complete at the end of the workshop, but most continue their work at home, giving the finished piece a more detailed treatment.
Artists pay $10 per workshop. The book sells for $25, about $7 more than each cost to produce.
“The society doesn’t make any money,” Genasci explained. “It’s always our goal to break even.”
Because it isn’t easy to escape work for two hours on a weekday, most society members are retired. However, some younger artists work evening shifts or otherwise can manage to set aside time to attend the portrait sessions, Genasci said. Most of the members were art majors in college or have worked as artists or designers, but some are self-taught. The workshops provide a chance to learn and improve their techniques and meditate on a single subject.
“For 2 1/2 hours, they focus on a single human being,” she said. “You concentrate and shut out the rest of the world.”
The launch event for the new book A History of the Portrait Society of Reno is scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m., Thursday, June 5, at Stremmel Gallery, 1400 S. Virginia St., Reno. The public is invited. Books are available for $25, cash or check only. For details, call Kay Genasci at 775-303-6094.
ARTS
Fabulous finds
Following a national trend, thrift is thriving in Reno
In recent years, consumers have a shown greater interest in buying secondhand.
According to stats from Capital One, secondhand apparel sales increased 11% from 2022 to 2023. Researchers attribute this to various trends—environmental concerns about the impacts of fast fashion; a desire to support small, local businesses; and a generational pursuit of unique pieces with enduring quality.
On top of this, uncertainty about how tariffs will affect the prices of imported consumer goods has industry experts predicting an even stronger boost to the secondhand industry.
In Reno, several new thrift and vintage shops have opened within the past year. We talked to four shop owners—at stores both new and established—who were keen to chat about their experiences in the world of secondhand. They noted that Gen Z is especially motivated to patronize thrift shops, for all of the aforementioned reasons. They also described their customers as environmentally conscious and increasingly aware of the value of thoughtfully crafted, enduring fashion, furniture and household goods.
Betty’s
395 S. Wells Ave.
www.instagram.com/395bettys
Deena Latimer opened Betty’s in June 2024. She takes donations and sources
Deena Latimer opened Betty’s last year on Wells Avenue to sell eclectic workwear, casualwear and partywear. Photo/David Robert
designer fashion—concluded that consumers save money in the long term by avoiding cheaper, less durable “fast fashion” and buying “preloved” goods. They also avoid getting trapped in “a cycle of cheap prices, constant promotions, and rapidly changing trends—not to mention poor quality clothes that need replacing again and again.”
For Miller, that lesson came from experience, not a report. Early in her career, she had a well-made chair fall off the back of a truck and sustain only minimal cosmetic damage.
If Miller’s preference for high-quality goods isn’t enough of a reason to shop at The Nest, her own habit of spending locally might be.
“This is a community,” she said. “When you buy something here, I spend that money at (for example) the Great Basin Community Food Co-op.”
Dress 2 Kill
1006 S. Wells Ave. www.instagram.com/dress2killstore
inventory from estate sales. She prides herself on selling practical but eclectic workwear, casualwear and partywear, and pricing items according to what she would pay for them.
Latimer passes along inventory that she doesn’t sell within a couple of months to charitable organizations such as Shop for Success and Our Place. Unlike some secondhand sellers, she stocks clothes for both women and men, and Betty’s has dressing rooms, which are sometimes hard to find at thrift stores.
Latimer said that for her customers, “individuality tops the list.” She carries clothing for a variety of body types, including plus sizes.
Additional perks include lot parking; plenty of natural light; and appealing, ever-changing window displays.
Plus, being on the corner of Stewart Street and Wells Avenue is “great for people-watching,” Latimer said—and she allows dogs.
The
Nest
201 Keystone Ave., Reno thenestreno.com
“People don’t realize the true cost of fast fashion,” said Tessa Dee Miller. She’s been selling vintage clothing, furniture and home decor at The Nest, a well-known secondhand shop, for more than 15 years.
“Invest in higher-quality products that will be less expensive in the long run,” she advises.
A 2024 report from Vestiaire Collective—a platform for buying and selling luxury and
In a mass consumer culture, many revel in the thrill of the hunt for hidden gems. At Dress 2 Kill, owner Reyna Casey stocks clothes and accessories that appeal to millennials in particular—’90s and Y2K throwbacks like Lisa Frank stationery, studded belts and emo-inspired accessories.
Dress 2 Kill has been up and running since
| BY ALEX CUBBON
October 2024, but Casey has been selling secondhand goods for 16 years. She has always seen the thrift market as a vehicle for self-expression.
“I created this shop as a space for people to come and be themselves—a place for the community to gather, regardless of identity,” she said.
She noted that space for inclusivity is especially important in a political climate hostile to the LGBTQ+ community, among others.
Waggish & Co.
243 California Ave.
www.instagram.com/waggish_co
Tina Reynoso opened Waggish & Co. in September 2024, after a trip to Florence, Italy, where she became captivated by small, curated vintage shops.
She describes Waggish as good for people who “aren’t good at thrifting.” She hand-selects everything in the boutique for its durability, wanting to do her part to reduce the landfill burden. The shop is divided into three sections: women’s fashion; men’s fashion and home décor; and “Italy,” with handmade Italian wares. Waggish is located below The Cheese Board, and a discount rack stands at the entrance on most days. Up until now, Reynoso has relied mainly on word of mouth to promote her business, but she expanded her visibility in May by hosting a flea market alongside Facilitate Joy!, an autism and ADHD coaching organization. She hopes to make flea markets timed around the neighboring Nevada Museum of Art’s second-Saturday events a regular occurrence to attract even more foot traffic.
The Nest on Keystone Avenue avoids “fast fashion” and stocks higher-quality clothing, furniture and housewares. According to owner Tessa Dee Miller, the durability of better-made goods means you’ll spend less on fashion in the long run, not more. Photo/Alex Cubbon
MONDAY, JUNE 16SUNDAY, JULY 20
Future reels
The results of the Moon Rocks Sci-Fi Short-Film Competition will be screened at the Brewery Arts Center
“Starting a nonprofit in the middle of a pandemic is not something I would recommend,” laughed Lyric Burt, president and co-founder of Silver State Storytellers. “All the gears had come to a grinding halt!”
Nonetheless, Burt, along with Katrina Raenell, Alesa Hensen and Taylor Wilson, sought a way to pursue their artistic desires. Their solution was Silver State Storytellers, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting creative storytelling in a variety of mediums.
Despite the odds, the organization has flourished, thanks in large part to a series of annual short-film competitions, including the Moon Rocks Sci-fi Short Film Competition, now in its second year, which kicked off on May 21 and will conclude with a screening of the films and an awards ceremony on June 14.
Silver State Storytellers announced the dates of the competition and opened registration this spring. With nothing but three prompts to start with—a prop, a sound effect and a line of dialogue—registrants then have two weeks to create a five-tonine-minute film and submit it by June 4. The public can view the films at two screenings, at 2 and 7 p.m., Saturday, June 14, at the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City. Following the second screening is an
Jobe Rippey,
| BY JESSICA SANTINA
awards ceremony—a panel of judges selects its favorites in a handful of categories, and audience members even get the chance to weigh in on their favorites for the Best Film—Audience Choice award.
This year’s prompts? A flashlight, a roar (animal or mechanical) and: “I wish I had thought of that.”
Nevada-based filmmakers of all ages are welcome to enter, and there are no restrictions on experience level or production budget. As long as the film is made in that two-week period, which the prompts help ensure, and is somewhat family friendly (think PG-13), it’s a contender.
Silver State Storytellers’ short-film competitions—which also include Love Notes, a romantic film competition in February, and Carson Creepy, a horror film competition in October—sort of dropped in the founders’ laps in 2021.
“The Carson City short-film competitions were formerly housed under Wired Wednesdays,” Burt said, explaining that the Wired Wednesdays founder had decided to move and would be shuttering the nonprofit unless someone else was willing to take it on. Silver State Storytellers stepped up. “(Our mission) is to inspire Nevada artists to tell stories about Nevada, and we do feel like these film compe
titions fit into that mission. As Nevada artists, we really want to focus on shining a light on the diverse landscape and culture that makes up our wonderful community.”
Although the February and October competitions kept their themes, the summer event always had rotated themes, and nothing really stuck until Moon Rocks came along.
“Nevada has such a rich history and culture that is immersed in sci-fi lore,” Burt said. “You know, Area 51, all the (petroglyphs) in our area, and there have been a lot of strange sightings. So, we saw a good opportunity.”
The name was intended to be “very Nevada.” When someone threw out “Moon Rocks,” Burt recalled his own youth, sneaking off to party at the desert recreational area in Hungry Valley. It just fit.
“Last summer, we did our first annual Moon Rocks, and it was very well-received,” he said, adding that a number of fun awards given by the organization’s board were added to the competition—for example, Best Alien and the Blake Snyder Save the Cat Award (in honor of screenwriter/producer Blake Snyder’s book about the ideal film structure).
The 2025 competition launched with 38 teams in the race, although Burt said it’s typical for a few entrants to drop out during the two-week period. The judges are Emily Skyle-Golden, executive director of Cordillera International Film Festival; Sean Mick, a screenwriter who teaches the craft at Western Nevada College; Jessica Johnson, a film instructor at Truckee Meadows Community College; Tom Gordon, a sound engineer for the band Whitesnake and owner of Inspired Amateur Productions music studio; and Jamie Woodham, local actor, radio personality and podcaster. Thanks to several sponsors, winners will receive an assortment of gift cards and more; previous festivals have awarded quality lighting and green-screen kits.
“Of the teams we have registered, almost all of them are returning competitors,” Burt said. “I can’t wait to see them all go toe to toe again. They all just keep growing and getting better every time, which is what I love about these competitions.”
The Moon Rocks Sci-fi Short Film Competition screenings and awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, June 14, with screenings at 2 and 7 p.m. at the Brewery Arts Center, 449 W. King St., in Carson City. Tickets are $15-$25. For tickets and information, visit NVStorytellers.org.
along with his Rippey Studios team, won the Blake Snyder Save the Cat Award for Exceptional Storytelling at the 2024 Moon Rocks Sci-fi Short Film Competition.
Cruise-ing along
The final (?) ‘Mission: Impossible’ film is perhaps the worst of the series—but still worth seeing
Tom Cruise’s supposed last jaunt as Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning might be the weakest film of the franchise.
It’s long (11 minutes short of three hours!); it’s a little on the somber side; and it may be a little too self-important for a goofy secret-agent series. But by the time Cruise is dangling from a biplane battling villain Gabriel (Esai Morales), as Gabriel cackles maniacally like he is in the wrong movie, you’ll probably forgive all the nonsense and mostly enjoy the final ride.
If you don’t remember what happened in the last film, don’t worry, because this one goes to great lengths to remind you of the prior film’s happenings. In a series that often got confusing, this installment comes with a lot of CliffsNotes.
Hunt is still being hunted and must decide between his personal freedom, turning himself in, and, of course, saving the world. That pesky AI from the last film is still at it, trying to conquer Earth; it wants to create global thermonuclear war, much like that Joshua computer in the 1983 Matthew
Broderick movie WarGames
It’s all total bullshit, with Cruise often running around at top speed and looking really, really concerned. Still, there are enough effective sequences—including bomb-dismantling, a powerful set piece inside a dead submarine, and that plane battle—that will ultimately leave you feeling, “OK, stupid as stupid can be, but still enough fun to satisfy.”
This is not a euphoric recommendation, but it’s a recommendation, nonetheless. Go see Mission: Impossible—Dead Reckoning on a big screen for the biplane sequence alone, and marvel one last time in how truly insane Tom Cruise is. In the end, the franchise was a winner, even if its swan song is one of its weakest chapters.
In 2001, Tom Green tried to take his weird television persona to the big screen with the bizarre, unsettling Freddie Got Fingered. The film basically became the standard for what not to do when making a movie. (A few, me included, appreciated the effort.)
Now comes Friendship, a film in which Tim Robinson—of the TV sketch show I Think You Should Leave With Tim Robinson (and a very short stint on Saturday Night Live)—tries to do the same. Is he successful?
That probably depends upon your view of him as a sketch comic. Robinson specializes in
uncomfortable, random, intense, raw situations that revel in the awkward. For his fans, what he does is miraculously relatable. For those unfamiliar or generally opposed to his efforts, the film will be pure torture.
I’m a fan, and so were a lot of the people in the theater where I viewed Friendship The moment Robinson showed up onscreen, people just started laughing, even guffawing— and Robinson was merely walking, with his character Craig heading to his new neighbor, Austin (Paul Rudd, sporting his Brian Fantana mustache), with a misdelivered package.
The two exchange pleasantries, and they start hanging out. It’s the beginning of a great friendship begins … or maybe not. While Austin is patient with some of Craig’s quirks at the beginning, things come to a head when things get super-strange at a party, resulting in broken windows and lots of doubt regarding Craig’s social and mental stability.
Wives get lost in sewers; subway hallucinations ensue; and hairpieces fly off in a cascading cacophony of brutal failures that make Craig a monstrosity of mishaps.
Craig’s decline into complete whacko is not surprising. One shouldn’t walk into a Robinson film called Friendship and expect something warmhearted. Instead, one should expect the worst social anxieties and insecurities about
yourself amplified 100 times—and then amplified 100 times more. Friendship is a nightmare comedy that makes you laugh despite all the squirming.
Long live Tim Robinson!
Final Destination: Bloodlines is a fun, dopey splatter-fest that balances horror with laughs, and embraces its ridiculousness in such a way that you can’t help but have a good time—that is, if you like your horror bloody and silly.
It all starts in the ’60s when young Iris (Brec Bassinger) attends the opening night of a restaurant atop a high-rise tower. Newly constructed, the tower isn’t quite ready for dance parties, and structural inadequacies lead to a helluva bad time, with lots of people falling, burning, etc.
Or did it? It turns out the opening scene might not have actually happened, and was instead a premonition, transported into the nightmares of present-day Stefani (Kaitlyn Santa Juana), granddaughter of Iris.
As in the other Final Destination movies, everybody who died in the premonition, but actually survived, becomes a target of Death, as do their families. Stefani races against time to find her long-lost grandma, learn her secrets and save the lives of her family.
I’ve already told you this is a bloody movie, so things obviously don’t go very well.
Directors Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein
continued on next page
Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning.
Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in Friendship.
Think Free!
FILM & TV
have people dying in many creative ways: impalements, bodies falling, bodies getting smushed, heads getting crushed, heads getting run over by lawn mowers, people getting killed by vending machines, people getting snapped in half, etc., along with people getting crushed by big logs, people getting burned alive and various forms of facial mutilations.
While the film is CGI-heavy, it looks like the producers mixed in a nice balance of practical effects for a sense of realism, keeping the film from looking cheesy and cheap. There’s an event inside a garbage truck which gets an A+. Well done.
The premonition scene in the restaurant is a total blast, an intense display of everything that can go wrong, actually going wrong. When I was a kid, my dad always told me not to drop pennies off of the Empire State Building, because the penny would pick up speed and be like a bullet by the time it hit the ground. While this is not actually true, the folks who wrote this movie definitely got the same speech when they were kids.
As brutal as the film is, it’s also good-natured enough to be surprisingly fun. The characters are all quite likable thanks to a winning cast, so there’s a good bummer element to seeing them being dispatched.
This is unquestionably the best of the Final Destination movies. I wasn’t much of a fan of the franchise’s formula from the start, but Final Destination: Bloodlines makes the wise choice of not taking itself too seriously. It delivers the bloody goods with enough success to qualify it as yet another clear horror film win
for 2025. This is a great year for horror. This is also the last movie Tony Todd, best known as the original Candyman, filmed before his death last year. (He’s in other films still in post-production, but this was the last time he was on set.) He reprises his character of Bludworth in a most ingenious way, and the directors give him a wonderful chance to sort of speak to the fans during his character’s monologue. It’s quite heartwarming—not a feeling I expected to have during a Final Destination movie.
Coming off the first season of his absolutely awesome TV series, Bad Monkey, which showcased his trademark snark, Vince Vaughn goes into full sweetheart mode for Nonnas, an enormously sweet film based on a true story.
Joe (Vaughn) loves his mama, and after she dies, he pledges to let her legacy live on by opening a restaurant on Staten Island. The twist is that the kitchen will be piloted by senior women who are also kickass cooks. Joe finds some of those women among his mom’s friends, and others by putting an ad on craigslist.
While Vaughn provides a wonderful, warm central anchor for the story, stars like Brenda Vaccaro, Lorraine Bracco, Susan Sarandon and Talia Shire (in total Rocky/Adrian mode) provide the fun and humor.
As Joe risks everything for the new place, his new employees commence bickering—and then, eventually, bond.
This is one of those harmless, middle-ofthe-road movies you can recommend to your
Brec Bassinger in Final Destination: Bloodlines. continued from Page 29
FILM & TV
parents without worrying about foul language or naked butts. It’s well-worn territory, but the cast—which also includes Linda Cardellini, Drea de Matteo and Joe Manganiello—makes it all work.
This is also a movie that will make you very hungry. The numerous glimpses of Italian cuisine will get you planning future Sunday-night dinners involving pasta and pizza.
Nonnas is now streaming on Netflix.
In 1972, John Lennon performed his One to One charity concert, one of his first big performances after the breakup of the Beatles.
New documentary One to One: John & Yoko, while using footage from that show as a connective thread, also uses clips of John, Yoko and notable news events of the era to paint a picture of what that time was like for Lennon and Ono.
The atmosphere around them was, to put it mildly, oppressive. He was living in New York City and getting threatened with deportation as he intensified his activism and got busted for drugs. The vibe created by the pastiche of news and interview clips feels very much like the vibe in America today.
The One to One concert was eight years before Lennon’s death at the hands of an assassin. It was a transitional time for Lennon; he had recently left the Beatles, and was embarking on a solo career.
Lennon reportedly watched TV a lot in the early ’70s, so the setup for the doc (complete with a re-creation of his Greenwich apartment) suggests we are seeing a lot of what Lennon
was seeing when he turned on the tube during those times. Crazy times then; crazy times now.
It’s a highly effective format, transporting the viewer to Lennon’s cramped apartment, the one he had before moving to the Dakota. While watching, I couldn’t help but root for Nixon’s attempts to deport Lennon to succeed. Yes, that would have been an ugly victory for the Nixon administration, but if he’d been sent back to England, perhaps Lennon wouldn’t have died on that fateful night in New York City.
These are the kinds of thoughts that will strike you while watching One to One: John & Yoko, a truly immersive experience that will please both fans and the uninitiated alike.
One to One: John & Yoko is now available on various streaming services.
Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, Brenda Vaccaro and Vince Vaughn in Nonnas.
John Lennon and Yoko Ono in One to One: John & Yoko.
THE DISH
Kim Vandenhazel
Dining room director for St. Vincent’s Dining Room, Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada
Chef Kim Vandenhazel got his first cooking job at age 15 on a pineapple plantation in Maui. Now, 45 years later, he is the dining room director of St. Vincent’s Dining Room, serving more than 1,400 meals a day at the kitchen and on the nearby Cares Campus. Not knowing what donated ingredients will arrive each day from restaurants, groceries or distributors, Chef Kim has mastered the art of transforming uncertainty into opportunity. He sneaks extra nutrition into some familiar dishes—blending carrots and celery into sloppy joes, or enriching lasagna with unexpected vegetables. This creative challenge, born from necessity, has become one of the aspects he relishes most about his work.
Affectionately known as “The King of Casseroles,” Vandenhazel can rattle off a list of dinner favorites, though he claims his chicken dishes are the most popular. “Respect for the person and our community” is what Vandenhazel said he values most about his job.
For information about Catholic Charities of Northern Nevada’s food and housing assistance programs, visit ccsnn. org. Photo by David Robert
What’s the best thing you’ve eaten locally in the last month?
Fish and chips at the Sasquatch in Verdi
Your kitchen is on fire.
(Metaphorically!) What are you cooking?
Fire-grilled chicken with roasted poblano ranchera sauce
| BY DAVID RODRIGUEZ
Who is/was your strongest culinary influence?
My mother was my greatest influence. She taught me the science behind cooking and baking. While I have been predominantly self-taught, she showed me the basics, which led to my passion for learning and cooking.
What is your go-to midnight snack?
Peanut butter, honey and banana sandwich. I am a picky chef but not a picky eater!
Which local restaurant deserves more attention, and why?
Churrasco Brazilian Steakhouse. Their food is delicious, and they were very generous to our facility with the onset of COVID. They donated their marinated meats and salads to feed the underserved individuals in our community.
How does food contribute to our community?
The nature of our business is to provide hot meals to those who are in most need within our community. We rely on donated products from local grocery stores, restaurants and food distributors. These donations and a creative culinary mind help provide these hot meals and complete a circle.
What is the most unusual thing in your refrigerator right now?
Grape leaves, as it has become a family favorite recently to make dolmades together. I’ve taught my children how to make these so they can show off to their friends.
Please share your favorite food memory from growing up I come from a Dutch background, which many don’t realize has a great Indonesian influence and really introduced me to curries. I remember working with my mother to make these dishes.
What is the one kitchen tool you can’t live without?
My Robot Coupe food processor.
If you could have dinner at any restaurant in the world tonight, where would it be, and why there?
Brennan’s New Orleans. I’ve not yet made it to New Orleans to try authentic Cajun/ Creole cuisine, and while I often imitate it, I’d like to go and experience the real thing.
Welcome to Nevada
NCBR-NAP Polish company founders! Entrepreneurs: Join our monthly roundtable 9-11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 14
@ The Innevation Center 450 Sinclair, Reno BizAssembly.org
Mind Body Spirit
Join Us as we unify mind, body, and spirit in a magical day of sound, movement, mindfulness, and sacred plant medicine. Offered in collaboration with Setas Seminar y, this all inclusive, forest bathed day retreat will be the highlight of your summer
Sun Salutation & Intention Prayer
Yoga
Meditation & Sacred Ceremony
Breathwork & Creek Cold Plunge
Somatic Movement
Gong-Inspired Soundbath
Kombucha & Wine Bar
healthy lunch, live music , and gift bag included
Seats are Ver y Limited Register Today! for additional details: info@setasseminary org
Saturday June 14
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TASTE OF THE TOWN TASTE OF THE TOWN News
Jacobs Entertainment has announced that it is renovating Reno’s iconic Gold ’N Silver Inn, open for almost seven decades at 790 W. Fourth St. According to a press release, the renovation, led by architect Erik Fong of OneStudio D+A, will preserve much of the diner’s vintage character, and changes will include “a new bar and cool theme in keeping with the revitalization of Downtown Reno.” The J plans to keep some classic menu items and add new ones, in an effort to appeal to a changing demographic. The Gold ’N Silver will close on June 1 to make way for the renovations; the target reopening date is December.
Midtown music venue Cypress, at 761 S. Virginia St., is now serving dinner daily, and lunch on Sundays. The Cajun-inspired menu features items such as gumbo, poboys and BBQ nachos (above); Cypress’ kitchen also offers catering menu. For more details, visit cypressreno.com.
Openings
Circus Circus, at 500 N. Sierra St., in Reno, launched Madame Butterwork’s La Crêperie with a grand opening on May 17. The casual, counter-service establishment prepares sweet and savory crepes, fruit cups and yogurt parfaits, and is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. View the menu at caesars.com/circus-circus-reno/restaurants/madame-butterworks.
Inclined Burgers and Brews—already with restaurants in Incline Village, Truckee and west Reno, owned by Mitch Penning and Scotty Beck—opened a new location at 760 S. Virginia St., in Reno, on May 15. Inclined serves burgers, salads, sides, beer, wine and cocktails. The owners plan to host live music at the Midtown location, which is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; and from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday. Learn more at inclinedburgersandbrew.com.
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LIQUID CONVERSATIONS
Sublime summer sips
The perfect gin and tonic, explained
As the temperatures rise, so does my desire for one particular cocktail. This cocktail is refreshing, bright and fully customizable to one’s vibe and mood. It is a lunchtime cocktail, perfectly paired with a salad, or it can be a dinnertime cocktail to sip with your barbecued salmon.
I am, of course, talking about the gin and tonic, the answer to the question, “What if a perfect summer day was in a glass?” This cocktail, while simple in build, has a world of flavor combinations to explore, so let’s dive into this classic and learn how to make the perfect gin and tonic for you.
Find your gin-spiration
When a cocktail has minimal ingredients, each one matters greatly. You must understand what kind of gin is right for you.
Gin is a spirit that starts neutral when distilled and gets its flavor and character through the infusion of botanicals. You can use any combination of botanicals to make gin, but to be classified as a gin, your spirit must contain juniper, which imparts a sig-
nature piney, floral, spiced flavor. Because gin can contain so many different flavors, choosing the right style for you can be difficult. I classify gin on a spectrum of noisy to quiet—a noisy gin is one with many flavors all singing together at once, and a quiet gin focuses on a few carefully selected flavors together in gentle harmony.
Suppose you are put off by the intense juniper flavor, feeling that most gins taste too much like a pine tree. You will want to steer away from drier styles of gin. A London dry gin generally has fewer botanicals, and juniper is the star of the show, whereas some other gins bring other, bolder flavors to the front to sing over the juniper. Monkey 47 gin, for example, uses 47 different botanicals, all designed to balance the bold flavor of juniper. There are a ton of gins to try, but the key is to find the one that sings a song that gets stuck in your head.
Measure your treasure
“A big don’t for me is free-pouring your gin for your gin and tonic,” said Daniel Vezina,
| BY MICHAEL MOBERLY
Never free-pour your gin, advises Von Bismarck general manager Daniel Vezina. A perfect ratio of gin to tonic is crucial for a balanced cocktail. Photo/David Robert
general manager at Von Bismarck. “Free-pouring leads to inconsistencies in the balance of your cocktails.”
Because you have carefully selected your gin, it’s essential not to let it overwhelm the cocktail. A great cocktail is about balancing flavor, and since this cocktail only contains two main ingredients, you must let them sing in harmony. A 1:3 ratio of gin to tonic is a great starting point for building a well-balanced drink.
Tonic: not just for malaria
The Amazonian cinchona tree’s bark contains the alkaloid quinine, a compound that was the only malaria treatment for more than 300 years. Quinine is also the fundamental ingredient of almost all tonic waters. This floral and bitter flavor is the key to cutting through and complementing the flavors of gin.
Gone are the dark ages, when only one plastic bottle of sickly sweet tonic was on store shelves. These days, most grocery stores carry multiple kinds. Indian tonic will be your classic, high-quinine-flavored variety; the name refers to its origin in British colonial India, where it was used to help combat malaria. Then there’s the world of wild and interesting tonics that exist these days: elderflower tonic, grapefruit tonic, cucumber tonic and so many others.
The key to selecting the right one for you is to know the gin you are using. If the gin is dry and quiet, maybe go for a bold, interesting tonic with lots of flavors. A classic, simple tonic may be your best bet if the gin is complicated and noisy. And sometimes just a glass of tonic water over ice is a perfect afternoon sipper, even without the gin.
Garnish, garnish, garnish
No one likes a naked gin and tonic; you need a little pop of garnish flavor to tie the drink together. The traditional lime wedge is perfect to add a little citrus tartness to your drink, but what if you chose a bright, citrus-forward gin or tonic water?
I love backyard botanicals for my gin and tonics: rosemary, thyme and arugula, which are easy to grow in Northern Nevada and delicious as garnishes. Want to blow minds at your next cocktail party? Use thinly sliced radishes as a garnish. The bold, peppery flavor pairs well with most gin and tonics.
A great gin and tonic is like a great salad— with bold, harmonious flavors, perfect for a summer day. So, when someone asks, “Why have you had three gin and tonics at lunch?” say, “I’m just drinking my salad today.”
Exceptional white wines
A primer on the hidden styles from Lugana, Italy
Nestled along the southern shores of Lake Garda in northern Italy lies a small but increasingly significant wine region that produces some of the country’s most distinctive white wines.
Lugana, straddling the border between the Lombardy and Veneto regions, has quietly been producing exceptional white wines for centuries, yet remains relatively unknown to many wine enthusiasts outside of Europe.
I was fortunate to be invited to a tasting of Lugana wines recently in San Francisco, where I was able to reacquaint myself with them after my visit to the region in 2022. The area is extremely beautiful and is known as the Mediterranean in the Alps, due to the warmer-than-expected climate caused by the effect of Lake Garda. Even though this is a mountainous region, olives, citrus fruit and grapes can be grown here.
The history of Lugana wines stretches back to Roman times, with evidence of grape cultivation dating to the Bronze Age. Despite this long heritage, Lugana only
gained official recognition in 1967, when it received Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) certification, the first wine region in Lombardy to earn this distinction.
Lugana’s exceptional wines owe much to the region’s unique terroir. The area features clay and limestone soils formed by glacial activity more than 10,000 years ago. These clay soils are rich in mineral salts and become gradually sandier in the hilly areas. The moderating influence of Lake Garda creates a microclimate that benefits the late-ripening turbiana grape.
Lugana wines come in five officially recognized styles, each offering different characteristics:
• Lugana: The most common style, dry and light-bodied, with notes of citrus, jasmine and minerality.
• Lugana superiore: Aged at least one year after harvest, these fuller-bodied wines often express peach, stone fruits, citrus, minerality and honey notes.
• Lugana riserva: The premium category requires at least two years of aging and six months in the bottle, resulting in the most
| BY STEVE NOEL
The late-ripening turbiana grape, widely grown in the mild climate of Italy’s Lugana region, makes for a versatile and balanced category of wines.
complex and age-worthy expressions.
• Lugana vendemmia tardiva: Made from late-harvested grapes, creating a richer, sweeter profile.
• Lugana spumante: Sparkling versions produced using either the Charmat method or traditional bottle fermentation.
The star of Lugana wines is a grape variety called turbiana, though its identity has been the subject of considerable debate. For many years, it was known as Trebbiano di Lugana and thought to be related to the trebbiano (cognac) grape. At least 90% of the grapes making up Lugana wines must be the turbiana grape. Lugana wines are characterized by their versatility and balanced flavor profile; typical tasting notes include citrus, tropical fruit, green apple, white flowers and subtle almond, and are often accompanied by noticeable minerality and salinity. The wines pair exceptionally well with seafood, particularly lake fish, as well as white meats, risotto with vegetables, pasta and aged cheeses. Their balanced acidity and structure make them versatile accompaniments to many dishes.
If you have never heard of wines from Lugana, or the turbiana grape, below are some other wines that are similar to those produced in Lugana. If you like any of these wines, you will most likely enjoy a wine from Lugana:
• Albariño: From Spain’s Rías Baixas, albariño is highly aromatic with high acidity, orchard fruit flavors and a gentle salinity. It is often recommended for those who enjoy the freshness and minerality of Lugana.
• Sauvignon blanc: Particularly those from cooler climates (like Sancerre or Marlborough), sauvignon blancs share Lugana’s crisp acidity, citrus notes and refreshing style.
• Melon de Bourgogne (Muscadet): These Loire Valley wines are bone-dry and fresh, and often have a saline, mineral finish, making them a good match for those who appreciate the palate-cleansing qualities of Lugana.
• Grüner veltliner: Austria’s flagship white grape produces wines with high acidity, citrus and green fruit notes, and a peppery, mineral edge, echoing the lively, food-friendly nature of Lugana.
• Chardonnay: Some age-worthy, oaked Lugana wines (especially riserva styles) can appeal to fans of California chardonnay, offering a balance of fruit, acidity and subtle vanilla or spice from oak aging, while maintaining a distinct Italian freshness and minerality.
While the distribution of the wines from Lugana is limited due to its small size and limited production, they are available in the Reno area. Be sure to ask your local wine shop if they have some. You will not be disappointed.
TASTE OF THE TOWN TASTE OF THE TOWN
continued from Page 34
There’s more good news for burger-lovers! Burger NV, with a location in the Reno Public Market, has opened a new branch in Victorian Square, at 1240 Avenue of the Oaks, in Sparks, next to Galaxy Theatres. The new Burger NV is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday; and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Visit www. burgernvsparks.com to learn more.
Dahlia’s Mexican Grill opened on April 28 at 9570
S. McCarran Blvd., Suite 113, in Reno; it’s the former home of Anna’s Mexican Grill. It serves favorites such as tacos, burritos, chilaquiles and fajitas, and has a full bar. Dahlia’s is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily. More details are available at Dahlia’s Facebook page.
Events
The 18th Annual Tahoe City Food and Wine Classic takes place on Saturday, June 7, from 1 to 4 p.m., at Chalet Blanc, at 705 North Lake Blvd. No. 1, in Tahoe City. Local restaurants and caterers will offer a variety of wine and hors d’oeuvres. This event is limited to ages 21+. General admission tickets are $81.88; get them at tcfoodandwine.com.
The 30th annual Taste of Downtown Carson City will be held on Saturday, June 21, from 5:30 to 9 p.m., with music until 10 p.m., at Bob McFadden Plaza, at 223 W. Third St. Tickets cost $43 and will include samples from Red’s Old 395 Grill, Trader Joe’s, Shoe Tree Brewing Co. and many other food and drink establishments. For tickets and information, visit tasteofdowntowncarson.com/tickets.
Achieve Tahoe, an organization that provides outdoor recreation opportunities for people with disabilities, is hosting its Summer Wine Tasting on Friday, June 27, at PlumpJack Inn, at 1920 Olympic Valley Road, in Olympic Valley, Calif. More than 25 Northern California wineries will offer tastings. For general admission ticket holders, the event runs from 5:30 to 8 p.m., with a VIP tasting starting at 4:30. Tickets ($90 general; $150 VIP) are available at achievetahoe. org/event/summer-wine-tasting.
Have local food, drink or restaurant news? Email foodnews@renonr.com.
—Alex Cubbon
MUSICBEAT
Off the beaten track
After 15 years away, legendary rock/sludge metal band Melvins make a point of returning to Reno
A legendary band in the rock and sludge-metal sphere is making a long-awaited return to Reno.
Melvins have managed to toe the line between being extremely successful—and largely unknown among many fans of popular rock acts. Even though their pioneering mix of metal, punk and heavy rock sounds influenced the likes of Nirvana, Soundgarden, Tool and others, Melvins have remained a consistent force in the venue scene, opting to never “sell-out” and tour arenas or stadiums.
The band is set to perform Friday, June 6, at Virginia Street Brewhouse in Reno. According to a tour archive on MelvinsWiki, this is the band’s first Reno appearance in 15 years.
“I don’t really have much of a relationship with Reno,” said Buzz Osborne, the Melvins frontman, during a recent phone interview. “The first time we played there, I think, was in 1985, and we played in the basement of a guy named Tony Toxic. We played there with a girl band from L.A. called Brazebra, and played in the basement, and then hung out there. It was fun. … The people were very nice. I met some of the original guys, like Tommy (Munist), who used to be in (Reno hardcore band) 7 Seconds, and his brother;
Melvins.
out here now. Don’t ask for a blanket at this point, fuck you.’”
Osborne brought up his love of film to express his love for the Reno area.
“I’m a massive, massive John Huston fan; he’s my favorite director, and he did a movie that was filmed in and around Reno called The Misfits,” Osborne said. “It was Marilyn Monroe’s last movie, Clark Gable’s last movie, and also had Montgomery Clift in it … and it has a vibe that I think really describes the Reno element to me as an outsider better than anything. I’ve watched it over and over, and it’s in black and white, so I always envision Reno in black and white. I think everything looks better in black and white. That movie, if you’ve never seen it, I would highly, highly recommend it. The opening scene is: Marilyn Monroe and this girl are standing on a bridge, because she went to Reno to get a quickie divorce, and there’s a bridge in the middle of town over a river, and she’s throwing her wedding ring into the river for good luck.
April. It’s a part of the band’s series of ‘Melvins 1983’ releases, featuring original Melvins member Mike Dillard on drums. Thunderball offers an exciting musical twist on the OG Melvins sound, however, as it prominently features contributions from Void Manes and Ni Maîtres, two electronic noise artists.
“I really wanted to do something with them. That record is with the original drummer, and then I’m doing all the instrumentation and all the vocals,” Osborne said. “It was as close to the original lineup as we can get, and I always wanted to do something with the two noise guys, so they’re all over the record. I think it came out really cool.”
Osborne, a movie lover, wants to make things clear: Thunderball has no connection to the 1965 James Bond film.
“I just love the name,” he said. “We did a record a few years ago called A Walk With Love and Death, which is the name of a John Huston movie. It has nothing to do with the movie, but I just love the name.”
Osborne has a profound appreciation for the arts.
they had a band called Jack Shit. We had a relationship with lots of people there.”
Osborne said he routes the band’s tours himself, so he is both to blame and thank for Melvins’ return to Reno after the lengthy absence.
“We haven’t played there a ton of times, because it’s a little off the beaten track,” he said. “You kind of have to make a side road to get to it. On this tour, I said, ‘We’re playing Reno.’”
In 1998, Melvins played with Tool at the Livestock Events Center. It was an evening filled with peak performances from two of rock’s most inventive bands—yet Osborne’s most notable memory involves a completely nude crowd-surfer.
“They pulled him over the barricade, and the cops just descended on him,” Osborne said. “They dragged him outside to the parking lot in the back and handcuffed his hands behind his back. They sit him down in the middle of the parking lot and just say, ‘You sit right there; don’t move.’ He said, ‘Can I have something to cover me?’ They’re like, ‘No, you can’t. You want to be nude? There, you’re nude, right in front of everybody.’ The paddy wagon eventually came, like half an hour later, and they threw him in the paddy wagon, completely starkers. I thought that was the funniest thing. ‘You want to fucking crowd-surf nude? You’re sitting right
“Apparently, (Monroe) was a total druggedout pain in the ass the whole time in the movie, but she’s phenomenal in this movie. It’s maybe her best movie. John Huston said that he got paid $40,000 to do that movie, and he lost it all at the casinos while he was staying there, making the movie. If you do the math on that, $40,000 in 1958 or whatever was a lot of money. John Huston, he knew going there was the right thing to do. It’s about cowboys going out and rounding up wild mustangs, and then the whole premise is that she thinks that they’re rounding up the mustangs as pets, and they’re rounding them up for dog food. I just can’t even begin to tell you how great that movie is. I can’t think about Reno without thinking of the Donner Party and The Misfits.”
Melvins’ Reno performance is a part of a co-headlining tour with grind-core pioneers Napalm Death. The last time both bands toured together was in 2016.
“Every time Trump gets elected, we tour with Napalm,” Osborne joked.
Available at the merch booth (if copies remain) will be Savage Imperial Death March, a limited-edition split record featuring new songs and performances from both bands.
“We’re all playing on the same songs,” Osbourne said. “Two of them came over (from England), and then Barney (Greenway), the singer, recorded overdubs in the studio in England. The tour is called the Savage Imperial Death March Part Two, and the record is Savage Imperial Death March. I came up with a tour name, which I thought was good. ‘Savage Imperial Death March’ says it all, doesn’t it?”
Melvins are also supporting Thunderball, their 28th studio album, which was released in
“I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I have a very severe fascination with movies and music,” he said. “It’s gotten me through the worst parts of my life, and I think music is probably the most powerful art medium that there is, and I’m happy to bring it to places like Reno.”
The Reno date of the Savage Imperial Death March II tour is show 51 of 52. While others may criticize the consistent touring and release schedule of the band, Osborne said he relishes the fact that he is a professional musician and has no plans to ever hit the brakes.
“I’ll go out on tour and do 52 shows everywhere I can think of, and then come back and do all the places I didn’t play in the fall,” he said. “I’m happy to be a musician. They asked Bob Dylan, ‘Why are you still touring at your age?’ And he said, ‘That’s the deal I made.’ This is the deal I made. I’m a professional musician, it’s what I do. I make records; I go on tour; I write music. I think people who are professional musicians should realize the position they’re in, and they should work harder than anybody at their craft. Make records. Go play live. Do all of it; put your ass on the line, and don’t worry about the results. While they’re sitting there comprehending whether you should have made this record, or whether you should have played Reno, you should be on your way to doing something else. Don’t give people enough time to think about if it’s good or not.”
Melvins will perform with Napalm Death, Hard Ons and Dark Sky Burial at 8 p.m., Friday, June 6, at Virginia St. Brewhouse, at 211 N Virginia St., in Reno. Tickets are $41.23, and attendees must be 21+. For tickets and more information, visit renobrewhouse.com.
THE LUCKY 13
Patterson Hood
| BY MATT KING
Frontman of Drive-By Truckers, performing at Grand Sierra Resort on June 8
Nothing screams “Southern rock” quite like the blistering sounds of Drive-By Truckers. With twangy and slightly distorted guitar, and nasally, heavily accented lines, the band has charmed listeners with their soft-rock stylings over the past 27 years. The band is set to perform with Deer Tick at the Grand Sierra Resort on Sunday, June 8. Lead vocalist and guitarist Patterson Hood has been a constant throughout the band’s existence, helping shape Drive-By Truckers into the consistent force of rockin’ and rollin’ it is today.
What was the first concert you attended?
I saw the band Chicago in 1974 (I was 9) in Florence, Ala., at Flowers Hall. It was the Terry Kath era. (Jimi Hendrix called him the greatest guitarist in the world.) It was pretty badass.
What was the first album you owned?
Not sure what actually came first, but among my very first albums were Elton John, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road; Pink Floyd, Dark Side of the Moon; Jim Stafford, self-titled; and Bachman-Turner Overdrive II.
What bands are you listening to right now?
MJ Lenderman, Wednesday, Friendship, Waxahatchee, Hurray for the Riff Raff, S.G. Goodman, Will Johnson, and Craig Finn. I’m going to see Jason Isbell tonight.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get? Crappy modern country (like Morgan Wallen). Hate it. Seems like lowest common denominator crap.
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
I recently finally got to see Nick Cave and
the Bad Seeds. I’d love to see Kendrick Lamar with SZA, HAIM, and Cameron Winter. I never saw Led Zeppelin, but always wanted to. That’s my time-machine band.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure?
I don’t believe in guilty pleasures, per se. I love Hall and Oates unconditionally and without guilt.
What’s your favorite music venue?
The 9:30 in D.C., The Fillmore in San Francisco, First Avenue in Minneapolis, the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, N.Y., and the 40 Watt Club in Athens, Ga.
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?
“God could have thought up a better way / To teach me just how small I am / To teach me the other side of luck / Oooh small town is where my mind gets stuck,” S.G. Goodman from the song “Snapping Turtle.”
What band or artist changed your life? How?
Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, The Roches, The Clash, R.E.M., and The Replacements.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? I’d ask Tom Waits about the best dive bar in Singapore.
What song would you like played at your funeral? The Staple Singers, “I’ll Take You There.”
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time?
Todd Rundgren, Something/Anything?
What song should everyone listen to right now? S.G. Goodman, “Snapping Turtle.”
JUNE 6
ROUND MONDAY, JUNE 16SUNDAY, JULY 20
JONESIN' CROSSWORD
| BY MATT JONES
“Double, Double”—the powers of two compel you!
By Matt Jones
Across 1. House broadcaster 6. Letter after pi 9. Origami bird 14. Area well beyond the coast
16. Pointer’s beam
17. Eyeglass prescription effect times 4?
19. Curved paths
20. He wrote “The Raven”
21. Piece of sound equipment
22. Partake of 23. Barry Bonds and Willie Stargell, for short 24. Baby leopard
25. Soup with sprouts and slices of beef
28. 2002 NBA Rookie of the Year ___ Gasol
29. Late actor Kilmer
30. Percolate slowly
31. Saying that has about 8 different meanings, some of them dirty?
36. English university town
37. Salonga of Broadway
38. Cut down
39. Con game run 16 different ways?
42. Maker of Regenerist skin care products
43. You may pay less to get more of them
44. Biden, familiarly
45. The “N” of NDA
46. George of the Jungle creature
47. Top Gun flier
48. Proper
51. Knight’s title
52. Chest muscle, for short
53. Pageant garment
54. Hybrid letter with 32 peaks that just looks like a long zigzag?
59. Photographer Leibovitz
60. Gadget used after hard-boiling, perhaps
61. Piece of lumber
62. Airport presence
63. British formal jackets
Down
1. ___ vin (chicken dish)
2. San Antonio team
THE LUCKY 13
Jonny Finic Vocalist/guitarist of EVERGLADE
band
With abrasive guitar tones, silky smooth lead lines, deep bass and frenzied drumming, the band has crafted a powerhouse instrumental base to support a dynamic vocal tradeoff between guttural hardcore screams and melodic pop hooks. EVERGLADE, thanks to this mix, moves listeners both physically and emotionally. Jonny Finic handles guitar and vocal duties for the band. Photo by David Robert
3. Nobel Prize category
4. Partners of “ifs” or “buts”
5. It goes with “neither”
6. Auto takebacks
7. Revolutionary War spy Nathan
8. Number under the ! on a keyboard
9. Go higher
10. Speak with a gravelly voice
11. Bad ___ Wanna Be (Dennis Rodman book)
12. Prefix for classicist
13. Ending for north, west, or northwest
15. Dry ingredient recipe measurement
18. Bank’s storage room
23. Expire, like a subscription
24. Panama divider
25. The Last of Us star Pascal
26. “___ Johnny!”
27. Columnists’ pieces
28. Seinfeld character played by Patrick Warburton
Find the answers in the “About” section at RenoNR.com!
What was the first concert you attended? In 2012, the OG Knitting Factory. I went for a local band called Mistakes of the Fallen that I attended high school with at the time. The show was packed out, and it was absolutely diabolical. To see such showmanship and talent from people I shared an education with, and the love from this crowd of absolute strangers, was mesmerizing to me. That show was the beginning of my journey to becoming a full-fledged musician. The end of the show was even wilder: A fight broke out with some of the members, and I remember the vocalist barreling down the street after some mouth-breather clocked his mom in the nose during a mosh pit. Needless to say, I was hooked on the chaos.
What was the first album you owned?
Linkin Park, Meteora. Still one of the greatest albums of all time to me.
What bands are you listening to right now?
Invent Animate, Sleep Token, DIESECT, The Kid LAROI, and Allen Stone.
What artist, genre or musical trend does everyone love, but you don’t get?
Taylor Swift. I’m the kind of person who
|
BY MATT KING
will give an honest effort to enjoy something new, especially if it’s important to someone I care about, but I just don’t see it. I get more entertainment from her snot rockets than the latest attempt to rhyme “Car” with “Bar.”
What musical act, current or defunct, would you most like to see perform live?
Invent Animate. Hands down.
What’s your favorite musical guilty pleasure? Yuno Miles. Easy. If you don’t know who he is, go listen. Man’s a genius. If you disagree, DM me; let’s talk about it.
What’s your favorite music venue?
Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre just outside of Denver. Natural acoustics, and the view is astonishing. It’s at the top of my list of venues to play before I clock out.
What’s the one song lyric you can’t get out of your head?
“It’s in you I drown, in you I dream,” Invent Animate, “Without a Whisper.”
What band or artist changed your life? How? Erra. Hearing that band for the first time stretched the limits of what I believed to be achievable in music. Jesse Cash, the guitarist and singer, has been an idol of mine since 2012. His tasteful mountain-man style riffs, his approach on musical composition, and his ability to play and sing so beautifully are unparalleled. The man is, for lack of a better term, GOATED. That band singlehandedly shaped the musician I’ve grown to be.
You have one question to ask one musician. What’s the question, and who are you asking? Vessel, of Sleep Token: Was the mask always part of the plan for your vision behind Sleep Token? Or did you foresee all the peril associated with the fame Sleep Token would inevitably attain, and decide to hide your identity for a chance to still have a normal life?
What song would you like played at your funeral? Makari, “Transient.”
Figurative gun to your head, what is your favorite album of all time? Heavener by Invent Animate.
What song should everyone listen to right now? If you want to check us out? “Down” by Everglade. My top song right now that I recommend? “Gethsemane” by Sleep Token.
The
EVERGLADE concocts intense metalcore.
Candice Liberty
Wells Avenue tattoo artist
Candice Liberty, owner of Torn Arts Tattoo, has tattooed for more than 22 years. She is a mom, writer and artist. Her shop at 1125 S. Wells Ave. has many of her colorful, abstract and sometimes creepy works hanging on the walls. She has a book to her name, Wonderful Me, from 2015, with art and stories about her life and relationships; she plans to publish another book in the future. With June 13 approaching—the only Friday the 13th in 2025—Liberty talked about the tradition of Friday the 13th tattoos, and what she has planned for the day. You can see her tattoo designs and other artworks at torn-arts.com.
How did you get into the art of tattooing?
I actually gave myself my very first tattoo when I was 14 years old with a sewing needle and some India ink out of my mom’s art room. She was an art teacher. I did this not knowing that many years later, I was going to actually become a tattoo artist. I didn’t even think about becoming a tattoo artist until I was going to college for art. My brother Archie (Wood) opened Battle Born Tattoo, and he needed some artists, so I was like, “Hey, brother, like, hook sister up.” That was in 2005, and that’s really where I got my start.
How long have you been at your shop here on Wells Avenue? I’ve had my shop running going on 12 years now. I opened in 2013; it’s called Torn Arts; I came up with the name years prior, and it has to do with my art that displays some aggressive emotions. It’s like, if you’re being torn apart between decisions. … It wasn’t just a tattoo shop; it also had an art gallery in it.
What is the Friday the 13th tradition of getting a “13” tattoo? It was actually started by a guy named Oliver Peck, co-owner at Elm Street Tattoo in Dallas. He started organizing the Friday the 13th events in the 1990s, based
| BY DAVID ROBERT
off of Halloween events, and wanted to do something a little bit more special and give clients and people a way to get a cheap tattoo, and to do as many tattoos as you can in this small period of time. … Then more and more shops were noticing how much publicity it was getting, and somebody came in and filmed it. It spread out from there because it was on TV; that event just spread all over the tattoo industry in the United States. I believe, to my knowledge, it was originally started at $13 for a “13” tattoo.
How many years have you been doing the 13? I’ve been doing the Friday the 13th event since I first started in 2004.
What was your original price? $13 was my original price.
And in 2025, what are you charging? This year, we are at $31.
What type of tattoos do people typically get on Friday the 13th?
Mainly, it’s already pre-drawn—all kinds of traditional and neo-traditional styles. Some of the girls coming in now have been adding anime. We do a large variety of different styles, but we always try to throw in that 13 somehow. I like to do a bunch of horror kind of stuff when I draw my Friday the 13th flash pieces. I drew up an idea about a Venus flytrap, Pinhead, and Pennywise the clown, and I try to do some more creepy, scarier things, especially if it’s a Friday the 13th that falls in October. I consider Friday the 13th to be a customer-appreciation event because of the large discounts that we offer on Friday the 13th, and it’s also a great way to meet and get new clients while giving regular clients a small, fun design at more than 50% off.
I heard there is an event coming up being put on by the Women of Wells group. How are you going to be involved with that?
There are a lot of women-owned businesses on this street, and a friend of mine, Jaime McKeel, who owns Little City Salon, is organizing an event called “Divas Day Out” on Sunday, June 8, from 2 to 7 p.m., at 351 S. Wells Ave. There are going to be tarot readings, a water slide, a bounce house, food trucks, raffle prizes and a photo booth. There will be treats like slushies and popcorn—and adult drinks from Verdi Local Distillery. I’m going to be face-painting for the children. Other businesses will be there, like Dolce Vida (a Wells Avenue psychic), Betty’s fresh thrift and Dress 2 Kill. It’s the first annual event, and we’re hoping for a big turnout.
This rare exhibition brings together the iconic work of the famed weaver Louisa Keyser (known as Datsolalee) and other talented Washoe artists-on display for the first time in nearly two
