An entertaining lesson in civics at Brewery Arts

"We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessing of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America."

In case you don't recognize this (and a pox on you if you don't), it's the preamble to our Constitution ... and is being performed in a play (by Pam Cook) with a talented bunch of kids at the Brewery Arts Center this coming weekend. Only an hour long, and at $5 a pop, it's well worth seeing. The kids, and the message they put out, are outstanding. Call 883-1976 for information and reservations ... and go learn why this country is great ...

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Also a winner is WNCC's "Beauty and the Beast." It, too, has one weekend left (445-4249 for information) ... it's filled with spirit, color, music and the age-old story of loving someone for who they are, not for what they look like. If you like a good love story with a beast, a beauty, a male chauvinist pig, and a talking candlestick, clock, wardrobe and teapot ... you've found your niche at the community center this weekend.

Be sure you see both plays, for they are wonderful contributions to "culture" right here in River, 'er, Carson City ...

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And if that's not enough, Carson High's Performing Arts will be presenting their final play of the year, an experimental art piece, at the BAC, "The Essence of Power," on May 24 and 26 ... 887-0438 is the number to call ...

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Carolyn wants you all to beware of a scam here in Carson City ... seems she stopped her car at a traffic light and a perfectly nude man jumped out and washed her windows. This happened to her seven times on Friday, five times on Saturday, but drive around as she may, she couldn't find him at all on Sunday ... Maizie assumes he was in church ...

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CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Carson City will be training volunteers beginning Thursday, May 19, at CC Juvenile Court ... for information about becoming a CASA volunteer, call 882-6776. These special people stand up for the children in court cases ... it's a two year commitment, but is very rewarding ... you are helping those who cannot help themselves ...

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Auditions, casting and a read-through for "Taming of the Shrew," will be held on Tuesday, May 24, at the Gold Hill Hotel ... like the Army, they need a "few good men," and will perform in the gazebo in August. The play will be directed by Michele Geller-Reynolds and Perry Arnn ... call 847-0111 for details ...

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One of our local businessmen told us that the Nevada constitution was written by wise men ... it provided legislators only show up in Carson City every two years ... he says that some of them (certainly not all ... but, if the shoe fits ... ), and some lobbyists, are not exactly "ladies and gentlemen." Tch, tch, tch ... it reminds us of a late friend who always used to say, "The Legislature's in town ... keep your wives and children off the streets."

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And in that vein, one of our respected local lawyers offered up the suggestion that a school-crossing guard be hired to herd the aforementioned people across Carson street, instead of wandering willy-nilly across with their cell phones implanted in their ears ...

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We both took the NDOT tour of the freeway and came away very impressed ... the amount of work completed is tremendous (with a lot to go, of course) ... we can hardly wait 'til it's done ... then maybe we can cross Carson Street without a semi bearing down on us. If anyone wants to see the freeway progress, or take a tour, go to www.ccfreeway.com and take advantage of the offer ...

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As most of you know, many of our hard workers in this town and others around the country are from Mexico ... they have many of the jobs in service areas and manual labor ... so when Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett were standing on the wall of the Alamo looking at Santa Anna's army, one of them asked, "Are we pouring concrete today?" The rest, as they say, is history ... (for those of you who need an answer, it's "No.")

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A "concerned citizen" called us and wanted to know if the city has spoken with Wal-Mart about their lighting ... he asks if it will be focused "down" (as in "dark-sky" lighting) to accommodate their neighbors and the Western Nevada Community Center observatory. He also asked about plans for noise abatement ... i.e., trucks backing up, beepers on, while unloading. We hope that if this hasn't been addressed, it will be ... ditto for any other new businesses ...

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We spoke at two delightful luncheons this week ... the first with the Carson City Host Lions; the second at the Natives and Newcomers installation. They are both great organizations ... the Lions (with Phil Elliott as their fearless leader) help with Meals on Wheels and people who need glasses (for eyes, not a set of crystal) ... and the ladies of N & N (Nanci Adams is their new president) who support scholarships at WNCC and prepare playing cards for the blind ... good deeds by good people ...

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We also went to the Community Awards luncheon put on by the Nevada Appeal and CAT 10 ... a nice occasion to honor the fine people of this area. And Frank Taylor poured ... (and poured, and poured ... his coffee, that is, over the rim and into the saucer ... dinch yo momma teachew no mannahs?)

n Carolyn DeMar and Maizie Harris Jesse are longtime Carson City residents. Write to them at editor@nevadaappeal.com.