Week of May 8, 2024

From the editor’s desk

Marla Paulina, a Reno native who’s been dancing since age 3, spent about 10 years performing full-time in heels in casinos every night. After a pandemic break, she transitioned into leading a burlesque ensemble at Reno’s Lead Dog Brewing Taproom.

In the 1940s and ’50s, tourism marketers advertised Reno as the “fun center of the West” and a hub for winter sports. These appeals, which might still ring familiar, were part of a massive effort to transition Reno from a midcentury cow town to a popular destination. Retired librarian Joyce Cox, whom Frank X. Mullen described as “a human version of Google decades before the internet existed,” tells the story in her latest book, Behind the Arch: The Story of Reno, Nevada’s Unique Chamber of Commerce and the Making of the Biggest Little City in the World.

“I’ve never met a queso dip I didn’t like,” said Maude Ballinger, an RN&R food scribe. But the one at Wild River Grille is just plain exquisite. Here’s her short list of favorite appetizers to share with friends.

Music scribe Matt King brings you a fresh interview with a local or national musician each month in his Lucky 13 column. For May, meet Kodeus McKinley, the man keeping the beat to Donkey Jaw’s high-gear, headbanging rock tunes.

The Nevada Arts Council’s new Intersections conference, to be held May 30-June 1 at the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Reno, aims to connect local artists and arts groups with peers from around the state, national organizations and local businesses. Here’s more about what to expect and how to register.

“Having a band is like being in a relationship, but I’m very tired of getting my heart broken,” said Victoria “V” Brown, frontwoman of the Reno rock band CHRRY. That’s a large part of why the group recently pared itself down from a five-piece five-piece ensemble to a duo—Brown and producer/composer Joey Fore.

In our May guest comment, Navy veteran advocate Cristina Johnson discusses the health consequences for military personnel—nationally and in Nevada—who’ve been exposed to asbestos while on the job. She also offers advice for how to seek compensation if you or someone you know has been affected. 

Our business columnist Matt Westfield always has an insider’s glimpse for us into the world of local or international business. This month, it’s both. An incubator program he leads at the University of Nevada, Reno, pairs business majors with international companies that are putting down roots in Nevada. 

The new movie The Fall Guy is a reboot of the goofy ’80s TV show. It features captivating stunts, satisfying explosions, and appealing star power—Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt bring great performances and great chemistry. There’s just one problem, says Bob Grimm: The reboot doesn’t even come close to masking the irrelevance of the original.

If you’re free next Monday, May 13, we’ll be delighted if you can make it to the RN&R‘s next Community Meeting at Craft Wine and Beer, 22 Martin St., at 6 p.m. We’ll discuss the RN&R‘s future and sustainability, including our transition to nonprofit status, and we’ll welcome your ideas and input. We’re especially interested in hearing from people who may want to serve on that nonprofit-to-come’s board of directors, or its community advisory committee.

Thank you, as always, for being a loyal RN&R reader!

Take care,

—Kris Vagner, managing editor