Black History Month celebrated in San Jacinto

Diane A. Rhodes

Special to Valley News

“Let’s Celebrate Together” was the theme of the fifth annual Black History Month event hosted by the San Jacinto African American Advisory Council and San Jacinto Unified School District on Feb. 11 at the San Jacinto Leadership Academy.

Lloyd Sheppard became principal at SJLA this school year after working as an assistant principal at San Jacinto High School. He’s been involved with the districtsupported Black History Month celebrations since they began, mentioning that it was held virtually during the pandemic year. He is involved with SJAAC and helps facilitate the meetings held three times per school year.

“One way to appreciate and recognize Black History Month is to learn about the culture,” he said. He was happy to see a dozen local vendors given the opportunity to spend time with residents to grow connections and bring awareness to their businesses or organizations. Guests were encouraged to interact with each booth/table to get their “bingo” card stamped for a chance to win donated prizes at the end of the day.

Lead K-12 Counselor Angela McClaron served as emcee and invited everyone to sing along to “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” a song written by James Weldon Johnson that has become known as the Black national anthem. After an opening prayer, McClaron introduced keynote speaker Dr. Corey Jackson, 60th District Assemblymember, who brought along certificates of recognition for those involved in organizing and facilitating the celebration.

“It’s important for us to continue to vote, it’s important that we continue to show up and it’s important to participate in events like this as well so that we can continue to form community,” Jackson said. “The African American community has a rich history, a rich history rooted in struggle, activism … not to mention the historic movements of the Underground Railroad, the Civil Rights movement and other similar movements coming together to speak out against injustice. Continue to be involved, speak out and make sure that our voices are heard. We still have work to do.”

He encouraged everyone to continue their legacy of being involved in this historical time so that when future generations ask them what they were doing during this time and what part they played in it all they don’t want to have to answer that they sat in silence to allow injustices to continue. He told those in attendance that he was honored to be at the event and to represent them in the State Legislature.

“My job is to advocate for you in Sacramento to make sure that our communities are not forgotten,” Jackson said. He provided brochures that outline all the different ways his office can help with consumer issues, state information and legislative services. For more information, 951-943-6054 or www.asmdc.org/jackson.

Sheila Blythe, who currently works at the district’s Family Engagement Center as its School, Family and Community Liaison, said she was invited to be part of the formation of the SJAAAC about seven years ago and is one of the founding team members of the Black History Month celebrations. Currently, about 8% of the district’s student body is African American.

Blythe said the SJAAAC came about as the result of her colleague, Carla Adame, finding a disproportionate amount of African American students facing suspensions and expulsions. A possible reason was that many African American parents said they did not feel welcome at the schools as there were no specific programs set aside for them. Blythe said that while some families still feel the district formed the council just to check a box, other parents thank them and appreciate that they are trying to address issues that affect African American students. “We have about 12 parent leaders and about 30-40 parents who attend the meetings,” Blythe said. “African Americans are feeling more engaged as we are working with the district and the Riverside County

Office of Education to address the achievement gap. We want families to know that the San Jacinto Unified School District values equity.”

She said a San Jacinto High School teacher working with the Black Student Union first approached the advisory council about expanding the Black History Month event so their culture could be uplifted and celebrated. Blythe said it has grown a lot over the years and looks forward to that expansion continuing in the future.

“Today is about building community and respecting the many cultures that we have in San Jacinto,” SJUSD Superintendent David Pyle said. “I’m glad we could do this on a Saturday, so it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle of a school day. Making this happen is a testament to SJAAC. This is really their doing; they spearheaded these annual celebrations. It’s a result of the parents speaking up and speaking out.”

The afternoon event was all about making connections and building relationships. Vendors represented a variety of community entities, from nonprofits who offer resources for families, to entrepreneurs who have started their own businesses in the local area.

Black Voices of the Valley will host its second annual Night of Black Excellence on Feb. 25 in Hemet where they will award scholarships to deserving youth and recognition awards to community members who are making a difference. Executive Director Stephanie Bruce said the nonprofit was founded for the purpose of mentoring and nurturing youths. She said kids need to see themselves in positions of leadership and BVOV is trying to change that narrative in the Black community while also getting others to pay it forward. Tickets are $75 and seating is limited. For more information, www.blackvoicesofthevalley.org.

Beyond Legacy educates on financial literacy, teaching people to examine what impact they are making in their community and what their legacy is to their families. Based in Temecula since 2016, co-founders Jontrice Wells and Ericka Fernandez said they saw a need for their services because students are not learning about money management in school and people are working longer because they are not prepared for retirement. For more information, 951-387-2082, 951-237-6842 or beyondlegacy2@ gmail.com

Queens of Cobbler owner Verdie Dennis was on hand with delicious samples of sweets from her San Jacinto shop. For more information, https://queensofcobbler.com.

Representing Roni Designz was Veronica Griffin and her family, offering a wide variety of colorful jewelry, clothing and other items. Please visit www.ronidesignz. com. Hemet’s Tiera Lomax said her T-shirt printing business ColorfulExpressions is “all about representation.” Two years ago, at the urging of her nine-year-old daughter Liyah, Lomax began dabbling in finding colorful prints that her child would enjoy wearing.

Mentoring Through Action and members of the San Jacinto High School Black Student Union also had booths.

Sigma Beta Xi, known as SBX Youth and Family Services, is a nonprofit organization that offers a variety of resources to meet its mission to break the cycle of poverty and violence through mentoring, education and community organizing. With its vision “to empower future professional leaders in every community in the world, using yesterday’s influence to produce today’s change,” Chief Operations Officer Dr. Tanisha Robinson said several programs are offered to the Black and Brown communities.

Edward Olmedo, who handles data analysis for SBX, said the group is reaching out to middle schools throughout Riverside County be- cause “we realize our youths are the next generation who are going to create new ideas.” He said the biggest issue is the fact that youth voices are not being heard. “Parents speak for them, and we want youth to advocate for themselves,” Olmedo said. Robinson added, “It comes down to community participation.” For more information, 951-247-1700 or www.sigmabetaxi.com/blk-empowerment.

NAACP Branch 1034 in Lake Elsinore was represented by its Historian, Brenda Phillips. The chapter was formed in 1977 and Phillips joined in the late 1990s. She was at the Feb. 11 event to build membership in the San Jacinto and Hemet areas. She stayed busy answering questions from those who visited her booth as well as signing up new members. Founded in 1909, NAACP is the

To submit an upcoming community event, email it to valleyeditor@ reedermedia.com, put “attention events” in the subject line.

CHILDREN’S EVENTS

March 4 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Family Day with Cornerstone Church, 34570 Monte Vista Drive, Wildomar. Gale Webb will be in attendance. Free eye exams for children and carnival games. Blood drive with Livestream to 3 p.m. sign up. Car show.

March 19 – 2-4 p.m. The Spongebob Musical at the Old Town Temecula Theater, 42051 Main St., Temecula. Tickets at the box office or for information, www.temeculatheater.org or 866653-8696.

COMMUNITY EVENTS www.myvalleynews.com

Serving the communities of Temecula, Murrieta, Wildomar, Menifee, Sun City, Lake Elsinore, Hemet, San Jacinto, and Anza weekly.

Feb. 23 – 7:30-9 p.m. Bohemian

Queen, a tribute to Queen will perform at Old Town Temecula Community Theater, 42051 Main St., in Temecula. The ultimate Queen show celebrates Freddie Mercury’s Queen in Concert from the 1970s. For tickets and more information, call 866-653-8696.

Feb. 24 to March 3 – 2-4 p.m. Dorland Mountain Arts Colony’s “Harmony 2023” artwork show will feature Dorland artists at the Dorland Community Arts Center on Highway 79 in Temecula. Artworks will be for sale at the show. Call 951-302-3837 or visit www. dorlandartscolony.org.

Feb. 24 – 5-8 p.m. Art-A-Faire in celebration of Black History Month at the Kay Ceniceros Senior Center, 29995 Evans Road, Menifee. A night of live music and art displays by local artists.

Feb. 24 – 6 p.m. Recycled Art Contest in Menifee submission ends. Submit artwork at www. cityofmenifee.us/ylm

Feb. 25 – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Check out The Wellness Market at ValleyWide Regional Park, 901 Esplanade Ave., in San Jacinto for an event dedicated to holistic health and wellness. The live event will have yoga, afrobeats dancing, DJ Skully J, nutritionists, financial literacy courses, poetry and more. Vendors wanted. Contact the organizer on Instagram @brownsugarcoffeellc.

March 10 – 6 p.m. The Human Relations Council’s 19th annual Black History Month Essay Contest Awards Ceremony will be held at the Center for Spiritual Living, 40450 Stetson Ave., in Hemet. For more information, contact Mary Morse at 951-634-4048 or marymorse@humanrelationscouncil. com

March 11 – 1-2:30 p.m. 1885 items and meals delivered with no contact. Three days of emergency food can be delivered immediately or restaurant meal delivery for those who don’t qualify for food assistance programs. Call 800-510-2020 for help.

Murrieta History Walking Tours presented next to the KEA Mill at Clay Avenue in Murrieta. Led by Murrieta Historical Society President Jeffery Harmon. Walk the streets of the original Murrieta town site.

March 18 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

City of Menifee Park Rangers Present Wildlife Appreciation Day at Central Park, 30268 Civic Plaza Drive, Menifee. Wildlife meet & greet, nature exhibits, live entertainment,opportunity drawings.

ONGOING – The Riverside County COVID-19 Business Assistance Grant Program is accepting online applications for business grants up to $10,000 at www.rivercobizhelp.org that can be used for employee retention, working capital, personal protective equipment purchases, rent or mortgage payments and paying vendor notices. Eligible businesses, including nonprofits, must be in Riverside County, with a minimum of one but less than 50 employees and operating for at least one year since March

1. For more information, call Riverside County Business and Community Services at 951-955-0493.

ONGOING – 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Temecula Winchester Swap Meet continues, 33280 Newport Road in Winchester. Saturdays and Sundays only. The small local swap meet is only 50 cents for entry, and anyone under age 10 is free admission. No dogs allowed.

ONGOING – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Every Sunday, Murrieta Village Walk Farmers Market is at Village Walk Place in Murrieta. The Sunday morning farmers market at Village Walk Plaza is a place to buy fruits and veggies, gourmet food and crafts. Come to the center in the northwest corner of Kalmia/ Cal Oaks at the Interstate 215 exit in Murrieta.

ONGOING – Temecula’s Farmers Markets are offered in Old Town Temecula Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon, 4100 Main Street in Temecula; at Promenade Temecula, 40640 Winchester Road, outside JCPenney every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at Vail Headquarters, 32115 Temecula Parkway, every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. In compliance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Riverside County Public Health orders, the farmers markets will be restricted to agriculture products only. Follow the Old Town Temecula Farmers Market on Facebook to stay updated. No pets are allowed.

WORKSHOPS, MEETINGS, NOTICES

Mighty Me for Adults 18+ and enjoy performing arts and dance for adults with mental and physical disabilities. The program is free and is designed for all abilities and capabilities. Lazy Creek Recreation Center, 26480 Lazy Creek Rd. in Menifee.

Feb. 24 – 4-7 p.m. Storm Baseball is looking to form a Lightning Band Pep Squad Band at the Lake Elsinore Diamond Stadium, 500 Diamond Dr., in Lake Elsinore with paid positions. If you are a brass, saxophone, percussion instrumentalist or color guard member and 18 or older, contact CBrock@ stormbaseball.com

Feb. 25 – 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Hemet

Woman’s Club is sponsoring the Car Seat Safety Clinic with the California Highway Patrol. Get car seats inspected and learn how to properly install them at this free event, taking place at the Hemet Valley Mall parking lot, 2200 W. Florida Ave., next to Polly’s Pies.

Feb. 26 – 1 p.m. Attend a free concert at Grace Presbyterian Church, 31143 Nicolas Road, in Temecula with The Bell Players Trio with piano, cello and flute.

March 3-4 – 7 p.m. and 2 p.m. respectively. Canyon Lake Community Theater presents “Into the Woods” at Elsinore High School, 21800 Canyon Dr., in Wildomar. Tickets are $20-$30. For more information, visit www.MTIShow. com

March 3 – 6 p.m. Menifee gaugustin206@gmail.com or join the meeting. office by e-mail to valleyeditor@reedermedia.com or by fax to (760) 723-9606. All correspondence must be dated, signed and include the writer’s full address and phone number in order to be considered for publication. All letters are submitted to editing to fit the the publication’s format.

Mayor’s Charity Gala at the Fairfield Inn, Civic Plaza Drive, Menifee. Tickets at www.eventbrite. com/e/mayors-charity-gala-tickets-503485056357.

March 4 – 8-11 a.m. Terrain Race at the Lake Elsinore Storm Stadium at 500 Diamond DriveLake Elsinore. Jump, climb, roll, and crawl your way through this one-of-akind obstacle course. Spectators? Sold out.

March 4 – 8-11 a.m. Temecula Valley Motoring Enthusiasts meet at the Lazy Dog Restaurant and Bar, 40754 Winchester Road, Temecula on the first Saturdays of the month. Local car group dedicated to friendship with anything on wheels.

ONGOING– Sons of Norway/ Scandinavia meets at noon the first Saturday of every month, September to June, at the Heritage Mobile Park Clubhouse, 31130 S. General Kearny Road, in Temecula. A potluck lunch is followed by a cultural program and short business meeting. Please come and enjoy company with fellow Scandinavians. Call 951-309-1597 or 951-849-1690 for more information.

ONGOING – Noon to 1 p.m. Attend Murrieta Wildomar Chamber of Commerce’s weekly business briefing via Zoom or watch live on Facebook every Wednesday. Registration required at https://bit. ly/MWCBizBriefing. The chamber business briefing is an opportunity to hear from city, county and business leaders about current and relevant business information.

ONGOING – Menifee Community Services offers online driver’s education courses for a $21.95 fee. The course includes animated driving scenarios, instructional videos, sample test, licensed instructor available to answer questions, DMV approved certificate of completion with all lectures and exams completed from home. Designed for students and does not include behind-the-wheel instruction or a California driver’s permit. Contact 951-723-3880 or visit the city of Menifee to register at http://www. city of menifee.us.

ONGOING – 10 to 11:30 a.m. Michelle’s Place Cancer Resource Center and The Elizabeth Hospice host a virtual support meeting for caregivers every second and fourth week of the month via Zoom. Get helpful tips and learn from others who are also dealing with similar challenges. For more information and to register, contact The Elizabeth Hospice Grief Support Services at 833-349-2054.

Back Issues Available: A limited number of previous issues of Valley News and Anza Valley Outlook (prior to current week) are available for $1.50 each, plus $1.00 postage and handling ($2.50 total cost). Call (760) 723-7319 to order.

AnzA

ONGOING – The city of Menifee offers in-city or out-of-city special event vendor applications online or at Menifee City Hall to apply for signature and other special events. Contact Menifee City Hall, 29844 Haun Road, 951-672-6777, or online at businesslicensing@ cityofmenifee.us

ONGOING – Riverside Transportation Commission is offering Park and Ride lots to connect with carpools, vanpools and transit systems in Beaumont at 600 E. Sixth Street, in San Jacinto at 501 S. San Jacinto Avenue and in Temecula at Grace Presbyterian Church, 31143 Nicolas Road, open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. but not on weekends.

ONGOING – Sun City Civic Association Monthly Square Dance sessions are held Sundays from 1:30-5 p.m. at 26850 Sun City Boulevard, in Sun City.

ONGOING – If you know a homebound older adult, resources in Menifee are available, including grab-and-go, cooked and frozen food for pickup. Courtesy Pantry nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its mission is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination. For more information, www. naacpbranch1034.org. Phillips can be reached directly at 951219-4779.

Forever Young ‘n’ Blinged

Feb. 24 to April 4 – Menifee needs volunteers for “The Wall That Heals” coming to the Miller Jones Menifee Memorial Park and Mortuary in partnership with the City of Menifee and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1956. The two-thirds size replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall will arrive in the city Tuesday, April 4, under escort and parade. Volunteers are needed for various work. For more information www. cityofmenifee.us/942/The-WallThat-Heals or Chelsea Bollinger at cbollinger@cityofmenifee.us

Feb. 24 – The Santa Rosa Plateau Nature Education Foundation announces its 2023 Small Grant Program for those engaged in nature, environmental, science and climate literacy education programs and projects. Public, private, charter schools and nonprofits can apply. Grants range from $500-$5,000. Deadline is May 1. Funds awarded in June. Eligibility, instructions and application at https://srpnef.org/ grants-scholarships-2

Feb. 24 – 6:30-8:30 p.m. Attend

March 9 – 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Temecula Valley Hospital and Southwest Healthcare Women’s Expo 2023. Held at the Pechanga Resort Casino, 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula.

March 16 – 11 a.m. Healthy Menifee programs at the North Annex Facility in Menifee at 29995 Evans Road.

ONGOING – Want to help deployed American troops remotely? Help shop for most needed items without leaving your home! This is an easy way to help support deployed men and women by purchasing items remotely and having them delivered to MilVet at designated drop-off locations for packing. All items on the list are special requests from deployed military men and women. MilVet is a nonprofit organization that holds monthly packaging events at different community locations in the area.. For drop-off locations and packaging locations visit www. milvet.org/military-care-packages.

ONGOING – Multiple Sclerosis Support Group meets the third Monday of each month at the Mary Phillips Senior Center, 41845 6th Street, in Temecula from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information, email

ONGOING – Food Addicts in Recovery Anonymous, a free 12step recovery program for anyone suffering from food obsession, overeating, undereating or bulimia, has meetings throughout the U.S. and the world. Contact 781-9326300, or for local meetings, call 925-321-0170 or visit http://www. foodaddicts.org.

ONGOING – The Murrieta Garden Club meets each month at the Murrieta Community Center, 41810 Juniper St. Anyone who likes to garden or is interested in plants is welcome. Membership is $10 per year. Find more information about the monthly event or project on Facebook.

ONGOING – Temecula Valley Rose Society meets each month. For more information and new meeting dates and places, visit www.temeculavalleyrosesociety. org

ONGOING – Menifee Toastmasters meets every Thursday at noon for one hour at a designated place to have fun, enhance speaking capabilities, gain self-confidence and improve social skills. For new dates, call 760-807-1323 or visit www.MenifeeToastmasters.org for more information.

ONGOING – Homeless veterans can receive free help by dialing 877-424-3838 for 24/7 access to the VA’s services for homeless, atrisk veterans. Chat is confidential for veterans and friends. See www. va.gov/homeless.

Conference for seventh and eighth grade girls on March 11. Being forced to put the annual event on hold during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 and subsequent aftermath, the members are looking forward to the first in-person conference since 2019. Interested students must register with their school counselors prior to March 6 as seating is limited. For more information, SISJHV.org.

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Jewelry is a home-based jewelry boutique in Menifee operated by Raulisa Young. She sells all her items through Facebook Live events and gets new items daily. She has a huge selection of $5 necklaces, bracelets, earrings, rings and more, saying that her favorite is whatever her customer likes best. For more information, www.facebook.com/foreveryoungnblingedjewelry

The nonprofit Let’s Rise Above is dedicated to meeting the needs of the local community. The organization develops conferences on requested topics and presents them at community venues or school settings. For the past two years it has sponsored a mentoring program at San Jacinto Elementary. Leandra Henderson of San Jacinto serves as secretary for the group and said everything they do is to help build character, with strong leadership being the ultimate goal. Founders Jonathan and Samantha

Drouault are passionate about seeing young men and women step into their God-given purpose by helping them to see their true value and worth. For more information, https://letsriseabove.org or community@letsriseabove.org

The San Jacinto-Hemet chapter of Soroptimist International is hosting the 2023 Girl Power

Game tables were set up around the SJLA campus so friends and families could connect over board games and other fun activities. Lunch was provided by The Habit Burger Grill truck catering. Guests were treated to performances by San Jacinto High School Black Student Union members, the SJUSD Elementary Scholars and students from Monte Vista and North Mountain middle schools. Sheppard said having the vendors set up along the courtyard area of the school campus with seating spread all around provided an open arena and family reunion style atmosphere.

Pala Casino Spa Resort presents singer and actress Lea Salonga

PALA – Pala Casino Spa Resort will present multiple awardwinning actress and singer Lea Salonga Saturday, March 18, performing live indoors at the Events Center. The show will start at 8 p.m. General admission tickets are $45, and reserved tickets are $75. This show is just one of a lineup of headliner and tribute concerts that will be held at the Events Center and Starlight Theater.

Lea Salonga is renowned across the world for her powerful voice and perfect pitch. She is best known for her Tony Award winning role in “Miss Saigon.” In addition to the Tony, she has won the Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World Awards, in the field of musical theater. She was also the first Asian to play Eponine in the musical “Les Misérables” on Broadway and returned to the beloved show as Fantine in the 2006 revival. Many fans of all ages recognize Lea as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine from “Aladdin” and Fa Mulan for “Mulan” and “Mulan II.” For her portrayal of the beloved princesses, the Walt Disney Company bestowed her with the honor of “Disney Legend.”

Most recently, Lea starred in the critically acclaimed Sony musical-drama “Yellow Rose” and stars in the Netflix animated series “CentaurWorld.” She also filmed the first season of “Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin,” a reboot of the popular series for HBO Max. In August 2021, Lea released her single “Dream Again,” and, in November, “Lea Salonga: Live with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra from Sydney Opera House” aired as part of “Great Performances” on PBS. A live album of the performance was subsequently released by Broadway Records.

Lea has toured all over the world, performing sold out con- certs in locations such as the Sydney Opera House, 02 Arena, Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles, Singapore’s Esplanade, Kuala Lumpur Convention Center, Hong Kong Cultural Center, Queen Sirikit Convention Center in Bangkok and Carnegie Hall in New York. She was also the first artist to sell out two shows at Brigham Young University’s De

Movie review: ‘Magic Mike’s Last Dance’

TEMECULA ─ The City of Temecula’s Community Services Department and the Temecula Valley Museum begin another season of Culture Days monthly on the second Saturday. This event, previously known as Second Saturdays: A Celebration of Culture, began in 2019 and has honored over 30 different cultures with arts, entertainment, and activities. Join other community members this year as the city celebrates even more cultures from around the world.

The museum at 28314 Mercedes St. created this program to share a full history of the people of the Temecula Valley, one that embraces diversity and celebrates contemporary life in Temecula. Each month will celebrate various cultures with food, music, activities, and arts. Local artist

Tony Moramarco from Bigfoot Art Classes will offer art classes relating to each monthly theme.

Temecula’s museum acknowledges the inextricable link between art, culture, history, and community by continuing to enhance the current offerings and expanding the scope of what can be experienced.

Jong Concert Hall in Provo, Utah, since The King’s Singers in 2009. Tickets are on sale now, with no service charge, at the Pala Box Office, http://www.palacasino.com and 877-946-7252. Tickets are also available at http://www.etix.com and 800-514-3849. Must be 21 or older to attend.

Resort.

Bob Garver Special to Valley News

I had never seen a “Magic Mike” movie before “Magic Mike’s Last Dance.” The franchise’s first two installments both missed out on the domestic box office crown in their respective opening weekends in 2012 and 2015, thus not warranting reviews from me. Ironically, “Last Dance” made less money in its opening weekend than either of its predecessors, but those opened in the more blockbuster-y summer season instead of the void that is Super Bowl weekend. If the first two entries in this series are anything like the third, then not only am I glad I missed them, but I have to wonder why this property was even allowed to have three movies.

The year’s schedule is as follows: Israel on March 11; Macedonia on April 8; Czech Republic on May 13; Iceland on June 10; Portugal on July 8; Colombia on Aug. 12; Philippines on Sept. 9; South Korea on Oct. 14; Nepal on Nov. 11; and Christmas Around the World on Dec. 9. For more information about Culture Days and the Temecula Valley Museum, please visit TemeculaValleyMuseum.org and follow the museum on social media @TemeculaValleyMuseum. For questions, please call (951) 694-6450.

Pala Casino Spa Resort presents Kansas on March 24

PALA – Pala Casino Spa Resort is excited to present legendary classic rock band Kansas on Friday, March 24, performing live indoors at the Events Center. The show will start at 8:00pm. General admission tickets are $45, and reserved tickets are $75. This show is just one of the impressive lineup of headliner and tribute concerts that will be held at the Events Center and Starlight Theater.

With a career spanning five decades, Kansas has firmly established itself as one of America’s iconic classic rock bands. This “garage band” from Topeka, Kansas released their debut album in 1974 after being discovered by Wally Gold, who worked for Don Kirshner, and have gone on to sell more than 30 million albums worldwide.

Composing a catalog that includes sixteen studio albums and five live albums, Kansas has produced eight gold albums, three sextuple-Platinum albums (Leftoverture, Point of Know Return, Best of Kansas), one platinum live album (Two for the Show), one quadruple-Platinum single ‘Carry On Wayward Son,’ and another triple-Platinum single ‘Dust in the Wind.’ Kansas appeared on the Billboard charts for over

200 weeks throughout the ‘70’s and ‘80’s and played to sold-out arenas and stadiums throughout North America, Europe and Japan.

‘Carry On Wayward Son’ continues to be one of the top five most played songs on classic rock radio, and ‘Dust In the Wind’ has been played on the radio more than three million times!

The band is currently comprised of original drummer Phil Ehart, bassist/vocalist Billy Greer, vocalist/keyboardist Ronnie Platt, violinist/guitarist David Ragsdale, keyboardist/vocalist Tom Brislin,

Valley News/Courtesy photo and original guitarist Richard Williams. With no signs of slowing down, Kansas continues to perform in front of large and enthusiastic audiences around the world. Tickets are on sale now, with no service charge, at the Pala Box Office, www.palacasino. com and

1-877-WIN-PALA (1877-946-7252). Tickets are also available at www.etix.com and 1-800-514-3849. Must be 21 or older to attend.

Submitted by Pala Resort Casino

The film opens with former exotic dancer Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) bartending in Florida, his relationships and business ventures all having fizzled out since the second movie. Lonely philanthropist Maxandra “Max” Mendoza (Salma Hayek Pinault) hears that Mike can provide certain services, and he agrees to give her a lap dance that turns into much more. Taken by his talent and charm, Max invites Mike to London to become the director of a one-night-only strip show at a theater she owns. Again, he reluctantly agrees, though the relationship has to be strictly professional from that point forward.

The rest of the movie is mostly what you’d expect from the “Let’s Put on a Show” genre. Mike balks at the new setting at first, but he quickly adapts. He doesn’t get along with Max’s daughter (Jemalia George) or butler (Ayub Khan Din) at first, but of course they come to like him. There’s a montage of auditioning dancers and some antics with a stuffy city official (Vicki Pepperdine). It looks like the show will be shut down, but they pull out all the stops and put it on anyway because they just love performing so much. The Mike/Max relationship deepens, by which I mean there is one, apparently.

Proponents of this film say that the best thing about it is the chemistry between the two leads. I was not picking up on any such movie-saving chemistry. Even with a grand gesture toward the end of the film, I was having a hard time buying that either Mike or Max has commitment to the other in their future. Maybe this belief in their chemistry comes from the lap dance sequence early in the film. They do nail that scene, though it seems to involve a lot of physical exertion from Max. I thought lap dances were supposed to be relaxing for the recipient?

The film is surprisingly restrained on the sexuality front. I’d say that for about 80% of the dances in this movie, the dancers wear pants – that’s fulllegged pants. Mike and a female partner share a dance sequence toward the end of the movie for a supposedly-ravenous, mostlyfemale audience, and she’s way more scantily-clad than he is. The movie’s advertising didn’t exactly promise heaps of male nudity, but it was certainly implied. I’d bet that this movie could clean up its language, make no cuts visually, and get a PG-13 rating. Were the other “Magic Mike” movies this tame?

“Magic Mike’s Last Dance” isn’t particularly funny, romantic, or interesting, nor does it work as a visual spectacle outside of some acrobatic feats that viewers of any sexuality will likely find more impressive than tantalizing. I know it wanted to be a date movie for Valentine’s Day, but it had to contend with yet another rerelease of “Titanic.” That movie may as well be Kate Winslet floating on a suspiciously-roomy door, because this movie is dead in the water.

Grade: C“Magic Mike’s Last Dance” is rated R for sexual material and language. Its running time is 112 minutes.

Contact Bob Garver at rrg251@ nyu.edu