All about having fun Ð on the bases and on the lawn

by Karl Horeis

Our softball team took a pretty good drubbing last week. The team we played was called "Got Chalk?" so we figured it was salespeople from Gottschalks retail store.

Turns out it was the staff from the Carson City Sheriff's Department.

They beat us 14-3. During one inning, crime reporter F.T. Norton and I were out in the field, waiting for another ball to sail over our heads or bounce between our legs. We only had one out, and the "Chalk" players were going around the bases like a carousel. All of a sudden, our team was jogging in to bat.

"What happened?" asked Norton. "Did we get two more outs?"

Turns out "Got Chalk?" made the maximum number of runs allowed in one inning: seven.

The "chalk" in their name refers to chalk used to outline a body at a crime scene. As in, "We better mark the position of this body - Got chalk?"

In this case, they were marking around the trounced body of the Nevada Appeal Headliners.

Oh well, we had a lot of fun. And that's what it's all about.

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Take Mom out for a picnic concert on her special day Sunday. Eric Tingstad and Nancy Rumbel won a Grammy in 2003 for best New-Age Album for their release "Acoustic Garden." They'll play guitar and woodwinds in the Legislative Lawn amphitheater at 2 p.m. Sunday. Bring chairs or a picnic blanket with your own refreshments.

Mark your calendar; another free event on the lawn is scheduled for next Sunday. The Sierra Nevada Ballet will perform "Peter and The Wolf" at 2 p.m. on May 16.

Both of these events, and many more throughout the summer, are sponsored by the Carson City Redevelopment Agency and the Nevada Arts Council.

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Casino Fandango's Rum Jungle Buffet opened Wednesday at 4:30 p.m.

General Manager Steve Forester told me about the dry run they had on Monday with employee diners.

"It went great - the food's awesome," he said.

It sounds like the highlight will be two state-of-the-art smokers fueled with hickory.

"It's as good as any barbecue you've every had," Forester said.

Then there's the rotisserie ham and chicken, crab, shrimp, pizza, Southwest-style foods - even a crepe station.

"It's first class," said Forester.

The Rum Jungle Buffet will be open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday, with a champagne brunch from 9 until 2 p.m. Sunday.

"We just want to perfect that first, and then we'll expand our hours," said Forester.

For more details, call Casino Fandango, 3800 South Carson St., at 885-7000.

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Attention bassoon players! The Carson City Symphony is looking for a bassoon player and -as always - violinists. The symphony is holding rehearsals in the Carson High School band room at 7:15 p.m. on Wednesdays for the 20th annual "Pops Party" concert.

The concert will feature the symphony, the Carson Chamber Singers and guest soloist Jakki Ford performing show tunes, light classics and jazz.

"The Pops Party outdoor concert is a favorite of performers and audiences alike," said conductor David Bugli. "This year, we'll feature Jakki Ford, a jazz vocalist originally from Detroit, who now lives in Reno. She's been a lead singer in Las Vegas and Reno stage shows, and she has a four-octave range that can take you from Motown to Broadway."

Amateur and professional musicians of all ages are invited to join the symphony. For more information, e-mail to ehbugli@aol.com or call 883-4154.

Contact Karl Horeis at khoreis@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1219.